


Undercover & Undone

by Stcrylo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Mob, F/M, Possessive Kylo, Reader-Insert, cw gun violence, some smut, some violence, sort of not really love triangle, sort of slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-07-28 17:35:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16246517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stcrylo/pseuds/Stcrylo
Summary: (y/n) (y/l/n) was just a simple waitress living in a city torn between two warring mafias desperately grabbing for power. When her two friends Matt and Ben Solo come up with a plan for the Coruscant Police Department to get the upper hand on the mobs, (y/n) finds herself coming face to face with someone she thought she’d never see again…





	1. Chapter 1

Kylo frowned as he looked down at his watch. It was half past two, and he was late…again. He’d have to get a new driver if this problem kept on. After all, this meeting was critical, and showing up late didn’t bode well for his future business dealings with this family. If he made a bad impression, this family might take their business to Hux and his new First Order. That was the last thing he needed, especially with the constant fighting between their two forces. With a huff, he looked out of the window, discerning a small diner through the thick snow that fell so peacefully that when he watched the world passing by from the backseat of his Lincoln, it felt like he was in a dream of sorts. For a moment, he let his mind wander, away from his business dealings and organization, and to someone he hadn’t seen in a long time, someone he would’ve given anything to at least know how they were doing…

* * *

The snow was falling lightly outside of the diner you worked at for once in the past week. It was pleasant, to look outside of the diner windows and seeing the snow fall so peacefully when you took your breaks, which this time of year happened more often than you actually working. Sighing, you stood up from the table in the back, quickly wiping off your work uniform and heading over to behind the counter, the Christmas music on the radio playing faintly behind you. You sighed as you leaned against the counter, watching the customers slowly drift into the diner.

Now that it wasn’t the lunchtime rush, there was a very small amount of business. You yawned, wanting nothing more than to head home so you could get at least a wink of sleep as you’d been working since opening.

“It’s been so slow today,” said Lyra from beside you, a piece of her dark hair falling from her bun. You nodded in agreement, simply watching the door as every few minutes, people walked in, and a waiter or waitress quickly bustled to their respective serving areas.

“And they’ve already started playing Christmas music on the radio. Halloween’s barely ended, and Thanksgiving isn't too far away,” you complained with a sigh, leaning against the counter, your chin resting on your palm as you watched the door, waiting for any signs of customers for you to wait. You were already exhausted, as you were near the end of your shift, but you still wanted to manage some final tips before you had to trek home through the snow.

“Will you two quit moping? It’s the holiday season, of course there are less people coming in. They all want to spend time with their families,” your manager, Kyle, called to the two of you from his office. You rolled your eyes as you sat up straight, wanting to groan at Kyle’s cheery mood. He insisted that the two of you tried to convey the love of the holidays to make the diner seem more inviting, but if there were no customers around, who was there to pretend for?

You turned to Lyra who was mocking Kyle, before turning back around to look outside of the diner windows. A group of dark figures, masked by the snowfall, walked up to the diner, stopping in front of the door before pulling it open. You stood up straight, seeing a group of policemen walking in, each of them laughing heartily and stomping their boots on the rug in front of the door before they each pulled off their hats and coats. You smiled as you recognized two of them.

“Hey, Ben, Matt!” You called, causing the two of them to look up and smile at you, Ben with the same smug grin as always, and Matt with a crooked yet adorable grin, his hair wind-blown and frosted with ice.

You’d known the two of them most of your life, and the bond the three of you had was almost like siblings. They were the people you were closest with, and you couldn’t imagine your life without them, especially since they gave Dexter’s Diner its biggest group of business, what with them bringing the whole of Ben’s police squad plus Matt from Coruscant Police Department. Standing up straight and grabbing the little order pad and a pen, you walked over to their table, smiling as you were met with some of the kind faces from the CPD. They always made sure to sit in your section.

“What can I get you boys today?” You asked, watching all of their faces as they skimmed the menu. Ben was already smiling at you, his menu placed down on the table.

“All these boys’ coffee is on me,” he said, his face beaming as you shook your head, writing down on the pad.

“I think we’re going to need a minute, miss,” said one of them, causing you to nod and walk off. As soon as you got to the counter, you started pouring the coffee into mugs, placing them on the tray. Once you finished, you gathered enough spoons for the five of them, and grabbed the creamer. After pulling the tray up, you sauntered over to the table and placed each of the mugs in front of each of the officers.

“So, you guys ready?” you said as you pulled out the pad once more. Ben was the first to speak up, looking up at you with a goofy grin that you couldn’t help but smile in response.

“Yeah, I’ll get the usual, (y/n), thanks,” he said before putting his menu back behind the condiments. You turned to Matt expectantly, he usually ordered immediately after Ben.

“Same for you Matt?” you asked, to which Matt frowned and shook his head.

“No, today was…messy to say the least,” he said, looking off into the distance.

“I’ll say. The Liotta case had to be one of the most intense cases we’ve had in a while, even with the First Order and Knights of Ren running around,” said one of the officers, the others nodding grimly in solemn remembrance. You nodded as well before moving on to take the rest of the orders from the table.

Once you finished, you headed back to behind the counter, where you handed the tab to the chef, who started cooking away. Once you’d done that, you headed over to the table again to chat with all the men. After all, it wasn’t like you’d had any tables before they arrived.

“So, how come you guys are lunching so late today, huh?” You asked as you placed a hand on your hip, looking around at all the officers.

“Working hard, my dear miss (y/l/n),” Ben said with a smirk, causing you to scoff.

“The day you work hard, Solo, is the day Matt becomes a mass murderer,” you joked, causing everyone at the table to erupt in laughter. You laughed as well, the sides of your mouth aching slightly from how wide you were grinning.

“I think if Matt was going to kill anyone, it would be Ben,” said Poe, one of the officers, and another close friend of both you and the Solo boys, creating mumbles of agreement from the others. You looked over to Matt, who you noticed was just watching you. You were about to say something when you heard the bell from behind the counter, and you rushed over to grab the trays of food for your patrons. With the help of Lyra, who still didn’t have any tables at the time, you rushed the hot food over to the boys from CPD and you laid each of their respective plates in front of them. You then took the trays back, leaning back against the counter as you got each of their separate checks and then you ambled over, placing the pile of papers on the end of the table.

In not too long, all the boys had finished their meals, and they were all handing you their checks at the register, along with their payment before pulling on their coats and hats. You smiled at each of them as you gave them their change. After all, they’d made the slow period of the day more exciting.

The last to give you his check was Matt, and he fumbled around with his money before handing it to you. Like always, he had exact change.

“Thanks Matt. Watch out for Ben, and make sure you at least wear a scarf from now on,” you said, as Matt simply pulled on a coat, not bothering with anything else like the rest of his coworkers. “I know you get colder than Ben does, so maybe try to dress warmer than him.” Matt smiled and ran a hair through his curly blonde hair.

“Yeah, well, me taking care of myself better than Ben does is easier than it looks, (y/n). I’ll see ya around,” he said, pulling his coat tighter before stepping out of the front door, following all the rest of the boys back to the police department. As he walked away, you could see his curls tousled by the wind until the falling snow completely shrouded any trace of your friends and their coworkers.

* * *

Upon arriving back at the CPD headquarters, Matt quickly rushed to Ben’s side. He was anxious, and full of anticipation, bubbling with an idea he had to share with Ben immediately. It was like an epiphany, and he didn’t know how he hadn’t thought of it before. Ben, who had already began to head to his work space, looked back at Matt and knew his brother had something brewing in his mind. After all, Matt always had a special look in his eyes whenever he was concentrating on something. Before Matt could even open his mouth, however, Ben held up a hand to silence him.

“Alright, what is your genius mind planning now, Matty?” he asked, causing Matt to frown. Ben knew he hated that nickname unless it was coming from anyone else. “Actually, can you tell me what the subject matter is first, and then I’ll listen? You know we have a load of work to do here.” Matt frowned harder this time. It would be a miracle to see Ben just listen once without interrupting, and Matt didn’t have a lot of time before he had to head back to the forensics lab.

“It’s about Kylo,” Matt said softly, so soft that he was concerned Ben hadn’t heard him at first. However, upon seeing Ben’s face drop, he knew he’d been heard. Ben looked around to make sure there were no prying eyes before leaning closer to Matt. Their relation to Kylo was the best kept secret at the CPD, and it was a secret between only Matt, Ben, and Poe, and Ben desperately wanted to keep it that way.

“I’ll go get Poe. He’ll probably wanna hear this too,” Ben said, causing Matt to nod before trotting off to Poe’s office, as they’d need to speak of this in private. Ben sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. He knew they’d have to come up with something eventually, but Ben wasn’t entirely ready to face that. If he had his way, he could wait forever to see his brother’s face again. Shaking his head, Ben let out another sigh before he began his search for Poe.

* * *

“I’ll see you tomorrow everyone!” You called as you pulled your coat on, your hair let down and purse in hand. Lyra waved you goodbye as you headed out of the door and into the slow-falling snow. You shivered as the cold wind bit against your skin, shocking you at first before you began heading along on the sidewalk. You apartment was within walking distance of the diner, for which you were thankful because you couldn’t imagine having to walk too far out of your way in this cold. Shivering again as you felt snow falling onto your hair, you looked down at the ground and kept walking steadily. Your apartment building was in view, and you couldn’t wait to be out of this cold and into the heat.

Walking up to your apartment building, you breathed a sigh of relief that became crystals in front of your eyes from the cold. You walked up the metal steps and pulled out the keys, opening the door and feeling a rush of warmth overcome you as you stepped inside. Once inside, you shed your coat, setting it onto one of the seats, and placing the rest of your things down on the same chair. After that, you pulled off your shoes and walked over to the loveseat in your living room, laying yourself down and staring up at the ceiling. You were thankful you didn’t have to come in tomorrow until after lunch, as you sincerely wanted rest in the morning.

Your feet throbbed as you closed your eyes, head tilted towards the ceiling. You could feel yourself drifting away slowly, sleep taking over your exhausted body, the sound of outside of your apartment becoming nothing but a comfortable buzz in the background…

At least until the phone rang, it’s shrill screech piercing the silence of your apartment, causing you to groan as you ambled over to the table that it sat on. With a frown, you plopped yourself down on the chair adjacent to the little end table. Whoever was calling you right after your shift had some nerve.

“Hello?” you said, trying to keep your voice sweet even though you were fuming.

“Hey, (y/n)? It’s Ben.” As soon as you heard out the familiar voice, you let out a sigh. Of course it was Ben.

“Hey, how’s it going?” You asked as you leaned back in the seat, wrapping the telephone cord around your finger.

“Pretty good. Listen, me and Matt were wondering if you were wanting to get dinner with us tonight after we both get off,” Ben asked, his voice sounding tired even through the phone. With all the mob activity in Coruscant, you weren’t surprised that Ben was so tired. It had also been a while since you’d gotten to spend time with either Matt or Ben, and even longer since you’d gotten to hang out with the two of them together.

“Yeah, I’d love that. Just give me a call again before you leave the police department,” you said, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I will. See ya then,” he said before hanging up. You put the phone back on the receiver and sighed before standing. Bringing your arms together, you stretched them out before you headed for your bathroom. You had plenty of time between now and when the boys arrived to enjoy a nice bath.

* * *

“I really wish it weren’t necessary,” Kylo said with a huff, his footsteps thundering into his home as he shed his coat, hanging it on the coat hanger before he proceeded to do the same with his hat. From beside him, a man stood. Though this man was shorter than Kylo, he was still fairly tall, and seemed to be a very well-mannered man based on how he carried himself. As soon as Kylo moved away from the coat hanger, the man mimicked Kylo, removing his coat and hat and hanging them up before following his boss.

“Still, it’s a good way to prove our worth over the First Order. Ever since Snoke’s death, Hux hasn’t held back how much he hates you. I doubt he’ll be able to hold it in at a public event, even if it costs him the deal,” the man said, following Kylo into the parlor room. Kylo sat himself on an armchair before pulling out a cigarette, placing it between his fingers before pulling out his lighter and igniting the end. He took a quick drag from it and then blew out, tapping the cigarette onto the edge of the ashtray on the table beside him.

“You’re right about that, Tal. We do have the advantage of being more stoic than Hux and his men. This might work out in our favor,” Kylo noted as he looked at the fire crackling in the magnificent fireplace. Ever since the First Order and the Knights of Ren decided to split, or rather, split rather violently, the mansion had become very empty. It became even worse in the winter months, with his men preferring to stay in their own houses, leaving Kylo with no one but Phasma and his maid Lorraine.

“The only advantage Hux has over us is that his men tend to clean up better,” Tal joked, breaking Kylo from his thoughts. Kylo smirked before taking another drag from his cigarette before standing up.

“That’s true. Make sure the others all know to wear their best suits,” Kylo said before putting out the cigarette, walking away from Tal. He headed towards the stairs, his pace slow, but deliberate as he decided to retire.

“Yes sir. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Tal called. Kylo simply waved his hand at him as he proceeded up the stairs. Tal turned, heading back towards the entrance, his footsteps echoing across the empty marble as he made his way back to the exit.

Once upstairs, Kylo retreated to his bedroom, closing the door hurriedly as soon as he had gotten inside. With a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair, wishing this was all some sort of bad dream. He was no good at socializing and he knew Hux truly had the upper hand. It would take sheer luck for them to get through this successfully, and possibly for Kylo to not speak at all. A winter gala was the last thing he wanted to attend after all, and with the need of the Cortenshis family’s funds and numbers, the Knights of Ren desperately needed to sway Lukas Cortenshis’ in their favor.

With another sigh, Kylo looked to the ceiling. What he wouldn’t give for a couple of days of peace and quiet, but this was something that desperately needed doing. He almost wished Snoke had left everything to Hux instead in his will, instead of Kylo. That way, there would have been any need for all this fighting. It was definitely beginning to take its toll, and he knew the Coruscant Police would stop at nothing to catch both him and Hux and lock them away forever.


	2. Chapter 2

The door was shut behind Matt as he bustled into Poe’s office, the blinds being closed so the only light in the room was coming from the bright bulb in the ceiling. Poe always claimed that he hated the feeling of the entirety of the CPD watching him while he worked. Looking up, Matt noticed that Poe settled behind his desk, and so Ben and Matt seated themselves in the armchairs in front of him. Matt swallowed a lump lodged in his throat, anxious to share his plan once more. He wasn’t sure that this plan was going to go over well with either Ben or Poe, but he had to give it a try. It was their only real chance at getting anywhere near Kylo and his plans.

“Alright, Matt, what’s this idea Ben tells me you have?” Poe asked as he adjusted himself in his desk chair. Matt scratched his hair before clearing his throat.

“It’s about Kylo,” he started off, causing Ben to scoff. There he went with interrupting again.

“Well, obviously, you already established that. What about Kylo?” Ben said, his impatience being clear. Even though he was in the squad that had the most to do with dissembling the mobs, he hated to hear anything related to Kylo, no matter what the subject matter, so it was very clear Ben wanted this over with. Matt furrowed his brow at his brother’s response, growing slightly agitated.

“We don’t have a spy inside the Knights of Ren. They’re all too loyal to Kylo, unlike the First Order. Unlike Hux’s men, it’s safe to say that Kylo’s men would die for Kylo if they had to. Well, I have an idea who we can send in as a spy,” Matt stated, gauging the reactions of Ben and Poe. Poe was smiling, obviously elated at the idea of a spy within the Knights of Ren. Matt was right, it was easier to have a spy within the First Order, especially since many people weren’t particularly fond of Armitage Hux, making it all too easy to find someone like Finn to infiltrate the ranks. The Knights of Ren, however, was a more difficult story. Matt was right on the money when he said they’d die for Kylo.

Ben, however, had creeping suspicion growing inside him. He almost feared that his brother would do something stupid, like volunteer to go himself, especially since he couldn’t think of anyone else who would be eligible for such a task. No one was stupid enough to think they could gain Kylo’s trust in a matter of seconds, let alone be a spy for him. Anyone who thought they could was basically attempting suicide, as it wouldn’t be unlike Kylo to kill any spy he found.

“Alright, Matt. Who is it?” Poe asked with a smile, leaning onto his desk as he waited for Matt’s response. Matt swallowed another lump in his throat. This option would definitely be debated by Ben, in fact probably strongly argued against, but there really was no other option.

“(y/n),” he said finally, the room falling eerily silent afterwards. Poe’s face had dropped, and he turned to look at Ben, who he could already tell was fuming. If looks could kill, Matt would’ve dropped dead as soon as your name left his mouth with the fire in Ben’s eyes.

“Hell no,” Ben said suddenly, causing Matt to snap his head towards him. Matt frowned and let out an exhausted sigh. At least his brother was extraordinarily predictable.

“Look, there’s no other way. We’ll never get anyone else inside the ranks of the Knights of Ren, and if Kylo still feels about (y/n) the way he did when we were teenagers, this should work perfectly,” Matt rationalized. Poe stroked his chin in thought before running his hand through his thick brown curls.

“Look, Ben, Matt is right, we’ll definitely never get anyone else in the way we can get (y/n) in. Besides, if Kylo does still feel the way he did when we were younger, it would be safe to say he wouldn’t suspect her,” Poe rationalized, causing Ben to frown and furrow his brows.

“This could put her in serious danger! And if he finds out? He’ll kill her Poe,” Ben argued, his voice raising with each word. Matt flinched at his brother’s words, knowing they were true. Matt wasn’t so naïve to think that they had another way, however, so he knew they had no other choice.

“If she seems like she’s in any immediate danger, you have my permission to take her out of the city to somewhere safe,” Poe stated, causing Ben to let out a huff and lean back into the armchair.

“Fine. How do we get her to him, though?” Ben asked, his arms crossed.

“Well,” Matt interjected, “didn’t Finn say something about Lukas Cortenshis hosting a winter gala? And that both men from the First Order and the Knights of Ren would be there? We can get Cortenshis to let her into the gala, and he’ll see her there.”

Poe nodded as he thought about Matt’s plan. It was truly genius, even if they had to enlist Lukas Cortenshis’ momentary help, something Poe wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to do. It was necessary though, and he was willing to make that sacrifice. That part was easy, however, and now they only had one problem; to get you to agree with this plan.

“Alright, the gala is in a week. We need to know by tomorrow whether or not (y/n) is willing to do this,” Poe said thoughtfully.

“We’re taking (y/n) out to dinner tonight. We can see then,” Ben added softly, earning a look from Matt and causing Poe to nod.

“I think I’ll come with you too. It’s best all of us are there to explain,” Poe said before standing up from his seat. “This plan is of the utmost importance. Until we know for sure that (y/n) will agree, this plan does not leave this room.” Matt and Ben nodded before they rose from their seats as well, quickly making their way out of Poe’s office and back to their respective places at the Coruscant Police Department. 

* * *

You did the final touch-ups of your hair as you sat at the old beaten up vanity in your room. Staring at your reflection in the mirror, you smiled, content with your light makeup. You knew you didn’t need to look too good in order to go out with your friends, practically your brothers. After letting out a happy sigh, you heard the phone ringing from inside the living room. Standing from your bench at the vanity, you ambled over into your living room, pulling the phone off the receiver. You were definitely more relaxed than the last time you’d gotten a call.

“Hello?” You said sweetly into the phone, sitting down in the armchair next to the receiver.

“Hey, (y/n), we’re about to head out. Poe wants to come with us too, is that okay?” Came Ben’s voice, causing you to smile. Despite the obvious stress in Ben’s voice, you could tell he was happy to get out and spend time with you when neither of you were at work. In all honesty, you were relieved too. You couldn’t remember the last time the three of you went out to dinner or did something similar of the sort.

“Of course! I haven’t seen Poe outside of the diner in very long either!” You replied, smiling widely. To say you were excited seemed to be a bit of an understatement. It was really like having all your friends you grew up with together again…well, almost.

“Perfect! I’ll see ya in five minutes!” Ben announced before hanging up. You put the phone back on the receiver and stood up, smoothing out the skirt of your dress.

You picked up your coat and purse from where you had left them earlier, and decided to wait on the loveseat for Ben, Matt, and Poe to arrive. You looked out of the window, the street lamps dwindling through the snowfall like stars. It was a beautiful sight to see, and you let out a dreamy sigh as you watched the white flurries fall lazily from the sky, landing delicately on the ground. Suddenly, you saw two headlights pull into the parking lot of your complex, and you knew immediately who it was.

Jumping from your spot on the loveseat, you pulled on your coat and quickly turned off all the lights to your apartment. After you walked out of the door, you locked the door behind you as you were pushed by a gust of cold wind. When you turned around, you saw Ben climbing out of the car. As soon as he made eye contact with you though, he simply smiled and stood by the open door. You smiled back and waved as you walked down the metal steps, your shoes creating an echo as they hit each one.

“Hey, (y/n), we left the front seat open for you,” Ben said with a smirk, his eyes barely visible from his hat pushing his hair in front of them.

“Such a gentleman,” you proclaimed as you opened up the passenger door to Ben’s car, climbing in and instantly turning to look at Poe and Matt in the backseat.

“Well hello boys. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other out of uniform,” you said with a smile, causing Matt and Poe to both smile back at you. Ben climbed back in and shut the door, rubbing his hands together as the warmth of within the car finally washed over you. Ben let out a breath before turning to face all three of you.

“Alright, where to?” Ben asked, looking between you, Matt, and Poe. Poe simply shrugged in response.

“I’m good with whatever,” he said, looking out of the window.

“What about Fellini’s? We haven’t been there in a while, and I want Italian food,” Matt suggested, to which Ben grimaced, shaking his head. You smiled as you thought of the small Italian restaurant off the corner of Main Street and Temple Lane.

“Sounds good. You okay with that you two?” Ben asked, indicating to you and Poe. The two of you nodded in unison, causing Ben to smile before he turned towards the windshield.

“Fellini’s it is,” he proclaimed before shifting the gear, reversing out of the parking spot he was in, and leaving your apartment complex, the snow crunching beneath the wheels.

* * *

Lukas Cortenshis was a business man of sorts, and as such he prided himself in his dealings with all three parties of this “mob war,” as the normal folks called it. Of course, Cortenshis knew he’d have to make a decision between the Knights of Ren and the First Order in the meantime, but he definitely had the means to ensure his family’s survival, even after the fall of these gangs. Besides, the choice was very obvious to him, so he knew he wouldn’t regret his temporary decision. Knowing this, he was not surprised in the least to receive a phone call in the snowy hours of the afternoon as he sat comfortably in his living room. In fact, he was almost expecting it, as he was always the first source of recruited help from anyone, even the CPD.

“This is the Cortenshis residence, how may I help you?” He asked politely into the phone as he read the daily paper, skimming the black print for a grasp on the news. It was useless though, he always knew more than the papers did.

“I need a favor, Cortenshis,” came a familiar voice that made the corners of Lukas’ mouth curl up. Ah yes, the business of recruited help, and from Poe Dameron himself.

“How can I assist you this time Dameron? You better have a good manner of payment for whatever it is,” Cortenshis dragged out, wanting to keep Poe reeling like a fish on a hook.

“Cut the horse shit Cortenshis. I’ve got a good deal for you. All I need is your assistance,” Poe said. From his side of the line, he was tapping on his desk impatiently. Oh how he hated negotiations with this man, it extremely damaged his pride and made him feel like a low-life, but if he wanted to end the mob war, there really was no other option.

“Of course, Dameron. What can I do for you?” Lukas asked, placing his paper down on his lap. He wanted to intake every bit of information Poe was going to give him. After all, it would probably ensure his family’s survival.

“I need you to allow a potential spy of ours into your winter gala,” Poe stated, leaning back in his seat, waiting for Cortenshis’ reply. The air was still in his office as he waited for a sound from the other line. Poe could already feel the sweat forming on his forehead.

“I’m not even going to ask how you know about the winter gala. And for who is this spy?” He asked in his pompous voice, stroking some of the hairs on his mustache as he waited once more for Poe. There was a sigh on the other end of the line, which made Cortenshis’ grin even wider, if at all possible.

“Kylo Ren. We need you to tell Ren that you invited the girl, come up with some story on how you know her, and make her look like a mob boss’s leading lady,” Poe all but demanded, causing Lukas to chuckle.

“Kylo Ren can’t be swayed by a mere beautiful woman, but I digress. What do you offer me in exchange for my help?” Cortenshis was listening more intently than ever, his curiosity piqued by Poe’s plan. This woman must be truly something if they thought she could manage her way into Kylo Ren’s life.

“Immunity. Until we’ve seen the fall of both the First Order and the Knights of Ren, your family or their business dealings will not be interrupted,” Poe offered, letting out an exhausted sigh. It took him everything to come to this conclusion, but there was nothing he could give Lukas Cortenshis to sway him in the CPD’s favor except for this. Poe heard a chuckle from the other end of the line.

“You truly are desperate to see this supposed war end. Very well Dameron. Send the girl to me as soon as possible and we’ll see what we can do to make her seem more…appealing so to speak,” Cortenshis offered, causing Poe to rub his forehead in thought.

“Alright. With any luck, that should be tomorrow. I’ll let you know if it’s any later than that,” Poe said before hanging the phone back on the receiver. Poe let out another sigh. Cortenshis would certainly make you look like someone who loved the mob lover’s life, there was no doubt about that, but how would Kylo react to that? Would he be happy, shocked, or angry? There were so many unpredictable outcomes to this plan, but as Matt had so prudently stated, this really was their only chance. Poe just hoped you were up for the challenge.

* * *

The drive to Fellini’s was pleasant, what with Ben turning up the radio as high as it could go, Christmas music being sung along to by Matt and Poe in the back seat. You couldn’t keep yourself from laughing at them, especially since they were both horrible singers, and occasionally you joined in on their singing. It had been so long since you’d been this lighthearted.

Ben, however, could scarcely remember a time he was so heavy-hearted. Though he was smiling at Poe’s and Matt’s ministrations, he could feel a weight on his chest. The thought of putting you in such danger was terrifying him, and the thought that you would agree to go along with it…that was a whole other feeling.

As the four of you pulled up to the Fellini’s parking lot, you noticed how wonderful the restaurant looked this time of year. They had hung icicle lights from the awning, and they seemed to shine even brighter through the snow. You could tell just by looking inside that the restaurant was warm, and seeing everyone inside smiling and enjoying themselves made you feel warm inside.

All of you climbed out at the same time, Matt and Poe both having a more difficult time considering the actually had to slide across the leather seats. Once everyone was out, Ben locked the door, and then you all walked up to the entrance of the restaurant. Poe held the door open for all of you, his appearance looking frazzled by the cold wind, and then he followed in after Matt.

“Hello! How many is it gonna- oh it’s you guys,” said a familiar brunette at the hostess podium. You let out a laugh as Rey smiled at the four of you.

“Nice to see you too, cuz. There’s only four of us tonight,” Ben said as he stood in front of his cousin, looking around the restaurant as he pulled off his coat, resting it on his forearm. Everyone else did the same, as the inside of the restaurant was plenty warm.

Within a few seconds, Rey was leading the four of you to your table, which was placed in the far back, where there seemed to be the biggest crowd. Poe examined it silently. This really would be a good environment to propose their pitch, the area too crowded for prying ears.

Dinner seemed to go by quickly, the air filled with the laughter of your friends, occasionally joined by Rey when she wasn’t busy taking people to their tables. After the four of you had finished your entrees, however, the mood changed as Poe, Matt, and Ben all exchanged glances before looking at you. Poe nodded so quickly and so short you almost didn’t notice, but you looked back at them, confusion clear on your face.

“(y/n,)” Poe started with a sigh, running a hand through his curls. “There’s…a favor we need to ask you.”

“A favor? What kind of favor?” You looked between Ben and Matt, Ben not looking you in the face, and Matt seeming to stare into your soul. You turned back to Poe, who was staring at the table.

“We need you to be a spy,” came Matt’s voice, causing you to turn towards Matt. You furrowed your brows at his quick response. You could tell by the look on Matt’s face that he was anxious to get it out.

“A spy? Why me? I’ve never been a spy before in my life, I doubt I’d be any use to you,” you started. You just couldn’t understand why they wanted you. It wasn’t like you wanted to help, in fact a while back you had told Matt if they ever needed your help, they had it, but you never thought they’d ask you to be a spy.

“Look, we want you to spy on Kylo,” Ben said, breaking his silence as he stared out of the window that he was seated next to. As soon as you heard his name, it felt like you’d been hit with a brick.

Kylo. Even hearing his name gave you a pang of regret and made you think of the last day you’d seen him. You would’ve given back anything to change what had happened that day, especially if it changed the course of his life.

This also made you understand why they wanted you. Even so, you weren’t sure if Kylo ever wanted to see you again.

“Look, all of his followers are too loyal to him to spy on him. Assuming he still feels the way he did about you, he’ll probably accept you with little to no problem, especially if we make your reuniting seem like chance,” Matt said, breaking the silence that had befallen the table.

“How do you plan to do that?” You said as you stared off into the crowd of people at Fellini’s. This all seemed like a weird dream, one you weren’t sure you wanted to wake up from.

“Well, we’ve conspired with Lukas Cortenshis. According to information we received from Finn, and confirmed by Cortenshis himself, Cortenshis is holding a winter gala, of which he’s inviting both the First Order and the Knights of Ren. Kylo has to be there in order to sway Lukas Cortenshis into assisting him and siding with the Knights of Ren. Cortenshis is allowing you in, and you’re supposed to meet him tomorrow is you should agree. Together, you’ll come up with some kind of story on how you know the Cortenshis family,” Poe explained, to which you nodded in response. This really was a lot to take in at once, but you could tell this was a very well thought out plan.

“What if he doesn’t…let me in, per se? What then?” You asked, looking between your three friends once more.

“Then that’s it. There’s nothing else to be done. Look, (y/n), I’ve talked it out with Leia, and the CPD can pay you under the table for this. We desperately need a spy within the Knights of Ren.” Silence had befallen the table again as Poe finished speaking. You sat there, mulling the idea over in your mind, and his name. _Kylo, Kylo, Kylo…_

“Look, (y/n), you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” Ben stated, causing you to slowly lift your head towards your friends.

“No, I’ll do it,” you said firmly, sure of your choice. Maybe you could help Kylo, while also helping the CPD. You wouldn’t know until you tried, and that was your motivating force. You would give anything to have Kylo back in your life again. After all, he was the one you’d been closest to in your childhood, and you, along with Leia, were one of the most hurt to see him go.

Ben’s eyes widened in shock at your answer, and how sure you seemed. Poe smiled, his face brightening with a new hope. You could do this, he believed in you, and he knew you wouldn’t let them down. Matt also felt the same optimism and smiled, hugging you tightly, causing you to smile and hug him back too.

It seemed to Ben that he was the only one who was hesitant, the only one who felt like this would not end well for either party. He was concerned, for so many reasons, but mostly because he knew how Kylo was. Kylo was a ticking time bomb, and no one knew when he would go off. Ben could only hope and pray that it wouldn’t be on you.


	3. Chapter 3

You woke to the sound of your alarm clock, the rumble of the entire clock creating vibrations on the bedside table it sat on, and the shrill bells forcing you from your dream. You slammed your hand down, causing the ringing to stop, and you looked up at the time. It was 9AM, giving you enough time to get ready so you could head over to this Cortenshis man’s house. Poe insisted you try to look your best, as Cortenshis was a man with…particular tastes, as Poe had put it. It was best you made a good impression. 

Sighing, you got up from your comfortable bed, stretching and looking out of the window through your curtains. There was no snow falling, but the sky was a particularly bright grey, something you knew that would have you squinting when you stepped outside. With a groan, you lifted yourself off the bed and you sat yourself down on the bench in front of the vanity.

As you fixed yourself up, you thought about the conversation last night, and about Kylo. He had been your motivating factor, though you would probably never admit it to anyone. The opportunity to see him again made your heart feel light. You couldn’t help but marvel at the thought of it.

You also had a job to do, and the thought alone made your heart drop. You felt bad that you would be betraying Kylo’s trust, but the city was so dangerous with the Mob War going on. Ben and Matt were always up to their necks in work, and you wanted to help them in any way you could, even if it meant betraying the man you’d once loved. With a frown, you looked at your reflection in the mirror. _I have a job to do. I have a job to do._ You repeated to yourself, hoping to imprint it in your mind.

Once you’d finished, you rose from the bench in front of the vanity, heading over to your closet where you pulled off a simple lilac dress off of a metal hanger, and slipped it on. You dusted off the skirt and walked out of your bedroom, looking around the floor of your living room to see where you’d left your shoes from last night. Finding them next to the couch, you slipped them on and then headed over to the telephone so you could call a cab.

* * *

Poe pulled off his coat and put it on the coat rack by his door, placing his hat atop it. With a sigh, he headed over to his desk, pulling an empty file folder from his drawer, and a pen from the cup on his desk that held writing utensils. Writing down a name on the top, followed by a number, Poe let out another sigh. Another day, another murder.

A knock at his door caused him to look up quickly, causing his curls to fall in front of his eyes. At the door was Finn, waiting for a signal to be let in. Poe simply nodded, and Finn opened the door, closing it quickly behind him before ambling over to one of the chairs in front of Poe’s desk.

“So?” Poe asked, looking back down at the file folder, already taking notes from the inspection from earlier.

“The First Order is on the verge of collapse. Rose and I both think so, especially considering how anxious Hux seems. Apparently, if they don’t convince Cortenshis to side with them, the First Order won’t last very long,” Finn said, relaxing in the armchair. Poe nodded before stuffing his notes into the file folder. He grabbed a piece of paper from a notepad and quickly wrote on top of it ‘photos in processing’ before paper-clipping the note to the folder and pushing it to the side. Poe looked up at Finn and then sat up straight, relaxing himself.

“I guess we should hope that Cortenshis sides with the Knights of Ren, then,” Poe said, rubbing his chin in thought.

“Maybe so, but that means it’ll take longer than we originally anticipated to dismantle the Knights of Ren,” Finn pointed out, scratching the top of his head.

“Maybe not as long as you think. We’ve found someone to spy on the Knights of Ren, thanks to Matt Solo,” Poe remarked, standing up and stretching. He walked over to the bookshelf, staring at a photo of you, Ben, Matt, and himself all together. It was the one summer day the four of you had decided to take a picnic together. Poe smiled at the memory.

“Really, who?”

* * *

You gulped as the cab approached the intimidatingly nice mansion. The grey of the house seemed darker next to the white snow, which also made the steps leading up to the front door seem all the more elegant. With another gulp, you handed your money to the cabby and then stepped out of the door. The wind blew your hair in your face as you walked up the steps and up to the door. Holding you jacket close to you with one hand, you reached for the knocker with the other, knocking roughly against the door.

Within seconds a stout woman with dark hair and pale skin opened the door for you. She was wearing the average maid outfit, with the black dress and white trim, paired with a white apron. Her face seemed very warm and inviting as she smiled, looking you up and down as she observed you.

“You must be (y/n). Master Cortenshis said you would be coming by soon. Well, let me lead you to him. He’s waiting in the sitting room,” she said, beckoning for you to follow her. You did, quickly closing the door behind you so you could catch up to her.

If you thought the house was magnificent on the outside, the inside was practically like a palace. In the foyer, there was a crystal chandelier, the walls were painted a warm red, and were decorated in portraits of men and women dressed elegantly with grim expressions on their faces. As you followed the maid, you gaped as you examined the house until you turned into a different room, where a tall bulky man stood in front of a fireplace, a pipe sticking from his mouth, and smoke billowing out as he exhaled.

“Thank you, Loretta,” said the man as he turned around. His face was friendlier than you expected, a blush about the tip of his nose and his cheeks. He grinned widely as he examined you, but not in a way that made you uncomfortable. “Call my son down here. We need to start planning a story. Also, call up Marcus. We need his expertise right now.”

The man walked closer to you and held out his hand for you to shake. You hesitated for a moment, but then took his hand and shook it gently.

“You seem like quite the girl. You’re (y/n), yes?” He asked. You nodded and he copied, placing his hand upon his bearded chin. “I am Lukas Cortenshis, and it is a pleasure to meet you. Now, tell me, why did Dameron choose you to spy on Ren?”

You thought for a second if you should disclose all the details to this man. Poe had told you to trust him, but this was a bit of information you weren’t sure if you were comfortable sharing, so you decided to go on an easier route.

“We were once good friends, before he…left,” you said, looking down at the floor.

“I guess that in and of itself is a miracle. Kylo Ren doesn’t have very many friends, except for Tal Ren and Gwen Phasma. The rest of the Knights of Ren all seem like soldiers to him, I’m sure,” Cortenshis noted. “Please, sit, we have a lot to discuss.” You looked up to see Cortenshis beckoning to a chair for you to sit on. You quickly walked over and seated yourself, removing your coat as coming closer to the fire had made you hot.

“That does seem a lot like him. He never was very good at making friends,” you stated, looking up at Cortenshis who had also taken a seat.

“Yes, well, he doesn’t seem very social either. But enough of our little chatter. We’ll need to get you sized for a dress, and I think I have one in mind, and of course we’ve got to come up with a believable story, which of course will involve my son, who spends a lot of time in the company of women like you,” Cortenshis stated. As if on cue, a young man waltzed into the sitting room.

He looked a great deal like his father, except for he was much thinner, and of a slimmer stature. There was something particularly feminine about him, probably the way he carried himself, almost as if he was a noblewoman from the Victorian era. He sat down in the armchair adjacent to yours and extended a hand out to you. You took it and he gave a firm shake.

“Lukas Cortenshis the second, but you can just call me Luka,” he said, letting go and leaning back in the armchair.

“(y/n) (y/l/n),” you introduced yourself, turning back to the older Cortenshis.

“Well, now that my son is here, we can start the preparations. Alright, Miss (y/l/n), how good are you at improvising?” Cortenshis asked, watching you as you fiddled with your fingers.

“I would say fairly good,” you answered, causing him and his son to nod.

“How about this. You and Luka met at your job and Luka invited you to one of his…outings. Let’s say you’ve been socializing for a couple of months. Any events in between the two of you can come up with.” He said, taking another long puff out of his pipe. You and Luka both nodded as there was a knock on the door frame. Cortenshis looked up to see Loretta, and a man behind her who was slim and short, his dark hair a messy mop upon his head.

“Ah yes. (y/n), this is Marcus, he’ll be taking your measurements so he can get you a gown for the Gala. Please, stand.” You did as you were told and you walked to the center of the room, the man Marcus stepping forward quickly with a tape measure in hand. He quickly measured you and wrote down his notes on a little notepad before nodding and turning away to Cortenshis.

“You have the idea for the gown you’d like?” Marcus asked Cortenshis, who then nodded and pulled a picture from the pocket of his pants. He beckoned for you to come towards him, holding out the photo to you. You took it, staring at the picture of the gorgeous dress.

It was ice blue with white lace along the sweetheart neckline and along the waistline. It was something out of a fairy tale, it was so beautiful.

Noticing your smile, Cortenshis held out his hand, and you placed the photo of the dress back into his hand so he could hand it to Marcus.

“This shouldn’t be too difficult, should it Marcus?” he asked, to which the tailor shook his head.

“With any luck, I’ll have it done right before the Gala,” he said before gathering his things and walking off.

“Well, Miss (y/l/n),” Cortenshis said, turning to you with a smile. “It was wonderful to meet you. Come back here on Friday so we can make sure the gown fits you. Luka, drive the nice young lady home,” Cortenshis said, turning back to the fireplace. You grabbed your coat as Luka stood and lead you out to their garage, where a two-door Cadillac was waiting for you. You marveled at the cream colored beauty before you climbed in, waiting for Luka to start the engine so you could direct him to your apartment.

* * *

Kylo grunted as he got up from his empty King bed- well, empty other than the two pit bulls who slept at the end of the mattress. Once he rose, both of them stood on the bed, their tails wagging fiercely and tongues sticking out of their mouth as they watched their owner dress, at least for the most part. Kylo pulled on a pair of slacks and a long-sleeved white button down shirt, though he left it unbuttoned. As soon as Kylo headed for the door, the dogs jumped off of the bed and followed him.

He squinted as he was greeted with the bright midday light streaming through the many windows of the house. It made the white walls seem to shine, which made him let out a groan. Even though it was noon, he felt it was too early for this kind of brightness. Walking down the hall, then turning at the steps, Kylo let out a yawn. He had his hand down the rail as he walked down, and heard the clicking of the dogs’ claws as they came down the marble steps.

Walking into the kitchen, Kylo leaned against the counter as he brought the already prepared coffee cup closer to him. Taking a sip, the warm bitter taste of the bitter coffee helped fill him with energy. He would have to thank Lorraine when he saw her next. Turning around so he could lean better against the counter and drink his drink, Kylo heard the front door open, causing the dogs to perk their ears up and go running towards the door.

_Phasma must be back,_ Kylo thought as he took another sip of his coffee. Soon, the dogs both came running back to the kitchen, sitting at Kylo’s feet, watching him. After them came Phasma, wearing a plain white shirt and pants, pushing her hair back from her face.

“I guess you went to scope out the good gossip?” Kylo said before taking another sip of coffee. Phasma simply nodded before heading over to the fridge, where she pulled out the milk and then poured herself a glass.

“Apparently Lukas Cortenshis is trying to make his son interested in girls again. Either that or Luka found another friend,” she stated before gulping down the glass of milk. “Also, it’s bloody cold outside.”

“That sounds very typical. Anything else?” Kylo asked, setting down his mug and leaning down to pet his dogs.

“The First Order is on the verge of collapse, according to Hux himself. If things fall sour for them with Cortenshis, they shouldn’t last more than a month,” Phasma said, walking over to the table and sitting down. Kylo smirked, pushing a long strand of hair back.

“Good. It’s about damn time,” Kylo stated before standing once more. “You’re not going to the Gala, are you?” Kylo hoped there would be one sane person other than Tal that he could talk to that night, even though he knew the likelihood was very slim.

“I don’t think it would do well for my career as a double agent, do you?” She asked with satire in her tone. She had a flat expression on her face, causing Kylo to frown and let out a sigh.

“No, I suppose not,” he stated, scratching at the top of his head.

“Besides, Cortenshis would expect me to wear a gown, and do I look like that kind of woman?” Phasma asked, standing from her place at the table.

“No. But you do own plenty of suits. I’m sure he’d make an exception for you,” Kylo stated with a smug smirk. Phasma gave him a dirty look before ambling out of the kitchen.

“I’m going to bed. Have fun in that meeting with Valerium and Tal,” Phasma called as she headed for the stairs. Kylo simply nodded before picking up his coffee mug again and taking the last bit of coffee into his mouth.

* * *

The days after you first visited Lukas Cortenshis seemed to pass by quicker than any moment of your life. When you weren’t working at Dexter’s, you were either at the Cortenshis estate, or driving around Coruscant with Luka, confirming your story for Kylo for when he undoubtedly asked why you were at the winter gala. Also, any chance they got, Ben and Poe were preparing you for the spying part of your job. Within the week, they’d taught you a code to write down in a journal that made it seem like you were simply keeping a diary. Ben had given you a leather-bound journal specifically for the job.

With life moving so quickly by, Friday came before you could gather all your thoughts together. Because of the anxiety of the day, you’d awoken before your alarm rang, so you took the opportunity to go ahead and turn off the alarm. With a sigh, you began to get ready as best as you could. You were shaking slightly, the weight of the task at hand tomorrow finally reaching your mind.

With the preparations of the week, it was hard to grasp the gravity of attempting to get back into Kylo’s good graces. You had to put your brush down so you could let out a shaky sigh. To say you were nervous to see Kylo again was an understatement, but you had to help your friends at the CPD help keep the city safe.

Looking at your reflection in the mirror, you thought again about the last time you’d seen Kylo. You could almost feel the wind blowing that chilly October evening, you could almost hear Kylo’s voice as he told you that you were the only thing keeping him in Alderaan. You shook your head to try and get the memory out of your head. It was the last thing you wanted to remember, what with the pain it brought you to simply think of how you’d responded.

When you finished, you quickly dressed so you could head over to the phone in order to ring Luka. He’d become your ride everywhere recently, causing the two of you to actually become quite close. Sitting down on the armchair, you quickly rotated the numbers in order to ring Luka, and waited as you listened to the dial tone.

“Hello?” came the familiar tenor voice of Luka.

“Hey, I’m ready to go,” you said simply into the phone, wrapping the chord around your fingers.

“Alright, I’ll see ya in a bit,” he said before hanging up, you hanging the phone back on the receiver. You stood up and ambled over to the kitchen to make yourself a cup of coffee.

When Luka got there, he knocked on your door. You grabbed your coat and quickly pulled it on, stepping out of the door afterwards. He smiled at you before the two of you descended the metal steps and walked over to his Cadillac, you climbing into the passenger seat.

Upon arriving at the Cortenshis estate, the snow clouds began to cover up the previously clear sky, causing you to frown. It would probably be snowing tomorrow during the gala. You quickly made your way into the house after Luka parked in the garage, anxious to try on the dress that Marcus had made. It was the last piece of the puzzle that was tomorrow night’s plan, and it felt like a massive weight on your shoulders not knowing if it was actually going to look good on you, if your appearance was going to be appealing enough to Kylo. Thoughts were racing through your head as you walked to the sitting room, where Marcus was waiting for you with a giant bag and a pedestal for you to stand upon.

Lukas Cortenshis smiled at you as you came in, bringing you into a warm hug. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t fond of you, almost like the daughter he’d never had.

“Well if it isn’t our lovely little (y/n). Are you ready to try on the gown?” He asked, placing his hands on his hips as he looked down at you. You smiled and eagerly nodded.

“I can’t wait to see the wonderful work Marcus has done!” You said, smiling over at the tailor who smiled back in response.

“Well, first we’ll need Loretta here of course, so she can help you in,” Marcus said, looking around the room, almost as if he was hoping the made would simply appear.

“Of course. I’ll go find Loretta, and I’ll also find Anne while I’m at it. She said she needs to figure out what colors will go best with your outfit,” Lukas explained before quickly leaving the sitting room. Marcus opened up the zipper on the bag and pulled out the elegant ice blue gown that he’d made.

It was more beautiful than the image that Lukas had previously shown you, with more lace on the bodice than there had been, and the top layer coming up above the other sheer layers. The ivory underskirt seemed to make the blue seem even lighter and more magnificent, and you couldn’t help but stare at it in awe.

“Oh, Marcus, it’s beautiful,” you said, walking over and feeling the fabric between your fingers.

“It really is,” came Loretta’s voice from the door of the sitting room. You turned to her and smiled as she came over.

You quickly undressed to your underwear, allowing Loretta and Marcus to both help you into the gown. After you’d gotten the gown over your body, Loretta laced up the back, bringing in your waist and giving you the perfect hourglass waist. You looked down at the skirt of the gown, still in awe. It was certainly the most luxurious thing you’d ever worn, especially since you were simply a waitress at a diner. Now you felt like a princess, dressed so beautifully.

“Does it fit well? It certainly looks marvelous on you,” Marcus noted, hand on his chin as he examined you. You smiled widely, turning around as you heard footsteps against the hardwood floors. At the double doors of the sitting room was now Anne and Lukas Cortenshis, both of them grinning as they saw you.

“Darling, you look absolutely gorgeous. It’s almost like you embody winter,” Anne noted as she looked at you. “I think silver will work very well with this. I’ll even let you borrow my aquamarine necklace.”

“Yes it is very fitting. Ren has certainly got a surprise waiting for him tomorrow night,” Lukas stated, grinning at you. You smiled and turned away so you could face Marcus.

“I love it so much Marcus. You’ve really done a wonderful job,” you complimented, causing Marcus to smile.

“Thank you dear. Of course, you make it look all the better. You’re all set for tomorrow love,” he said, gathering his things. After he had everything packed up, he left, bidding you and the Cortenshis’s farewell as he headed out of the magnificent foyer.

You looked down at the gown again, pressing your hands against the fabric as you thought once more. Now that you knew you looked so stunning, you were more confident about tomorrow’s plan. You could only hope that Kylo would want to see you again after all these years, and that the passion the two of you once shared was still there.


	4. Chapter 4

You felt stress bubble up inside you as you waited for Matt and Ben to arrive. They were going to wish you good luck before you headed to the Cortenshis Estate. Thinking about how tonight was the night filled you with more anxiety than anything ever had. You kept fiddling with your fingers, unable to stay still as you waited for your two closest friends to arrive before you had to get ready. You couldn’t think of any way that this could go any easier, especially since you were terrified. What would you say? How would he react to seeing you again? Would he be happy or angry? You were making yourself sick just thinking about it. You had to find some sense of relief for your stress before the start of the Gala.

A knock at your door broke your haze of anxiety, causing you to hop up from your place on your loveseat and head over to open the door. Once you did, you were greeted by the smiling face of Matt, his glasses slightly frosted around the edges, and Ben, whose nose was slightly red at the tip from the wind.

“Hey, (y/n)!” Matt said as he walked into your apartment, shaking the snow off of his coat. He pulled you in for a hug, which had you shivering.

“Can you not just wait to hug me until after you take off your coat?” You asked as he pulled away. Ben simply gave you a pat on the back and smiled warmly at you.

“Well I figured that would be pointless since we aren’t staying very long,” Matt noted, sticking out his lower lip in a pout. You let out a light laugh and shook your head at him.

“So, how you feeling kid?” Ben asked, causing you to turn and face him. You grimaced at the question, beginning to twiddle your thumbs.

“I’m pretty nervous, actually,” you said softly, looking down at your hands. You felt a hand placed on your shoulder and looked up, making eye contact with Ben. His eyes seemed to burn with emotion, but what emotion you couldn’t quite distinguish.

“(y/n), you will do fine. I’m sure you’ve got this. We all believe in you,” he said reassuringly, causing you to smile. Hearing that everyone’s confidence was in you made you feel better about the situation as a whole.

“Well, we came to wish you good luck, and we’ve done that,” Matt said, breaking the silence between the three of you. You looked towards the blond and nodded, giving him a smile.

“Yeah, I need to call Luka so he can come pick me up,” you stated, giving the two Solo boys one last hug before they set off again. They both stomped over to the doorway and smiled back at you, waving goodbye before closing the door behind them as you rang up Luka. Knowing they had faith in you felt all the more better about tonight, and your ability to do the job at hand.

* * *

Kylo stared down at the black tuxedo laid across his bed. He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his head, scratching as he came to the back of his head. He wanted this night to be over as soon as possible, especially since he didn’t really want to socialize. He just wished he could send Tal and Valerium in his place, but he knew Cortenshis would take offense to something like that.

“Kylo, you in here?” came Phasma’s voice from outside the door, along with the barking of his two dogs.

“Yeah, why?” Kylo asked, walking over to the bedroom door. As soon as he did, the two pitbulls were jumping on him, and he scratched behind their ears before looking up at Phasma.

“I thought you’d like to know that Hux is probably going to start drama. At least, that’s what Mitaka was saying. He’s hoping that if he can get you angry enough, you’ll make a bad impression to Cortenshis,” she stated, a piece of her short blonde hair falling in front of her eyes.

“Of course he is,” Kylo said flatly. If Hux’s men were going to be insulting, Kylo highly doubted any of them could really hold back. Knowing it was deliberate, though, did help. Kylo let out a sigh as he scratched the back of his head. He couldn’t really expect Hux to be civil, could he? Even if he was planning to be civil with Hux, a rare occasion in and of itself.

“Also, Valerium and Tal are downstairs waiting for you. They have some questions about tonight that they want you to answer,” Phasma said before walking away. The dogs stopped wagging their tails as they watched Phasma walk away, and as soon as she was out of sight they returned their attention to Kylo. He leaned down to scratch both of their heads before walking out of his room and heading downstairs.

Valerium and Tal were both in the sitting room, each in their own armchair, both smoking on a cigarette. Valerium was very easily distinguished from Tal, as he sat with his back straights, legs crossed, and pale blond hair parted neatly. He wasn’t as rough as some of the other members of the Knights of Ren, but he was just as fierce. Tal, however, seemed to be more carefree than Valerium. He sat back in a very relaxed manner, his legs parted, and a smug grin on his face. His brown hair was in disarray on top of his head, heading in every which direction, looking blown from the winter wind outside. As Kylo approached, however, both men stood from the armchairs and shook the hand of their leader.

“You ready for tonight?” Tal asked Kylo, who simply shrugged before grabbing a cigarette of his own and taking the lighter from the table. After he took a drag, blowing out the light billowing smoke, he sat down.

“I just want it to be over,” Kylo remarked, taking another drag from his cigarette. The other men also sat down, taking drags themselves and returning to their previous postures.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Valerium responded, looking off into the distance and out of the large diamond pane window.

“It shouldn’t be too bad. If we don’t get bothered by Hux’s assholes, we should have this in the bag,” Tal stated, putting out his cigarette in the ashtray and cracking his knuckles.

“Yes, well, if they try to insult you, remember to keep your cool. We can’t afford to let this go in their favor,” Kylo stated before putting out his own cigarette and standing from his armchair. “I guess it’s time we go get ready.”

* * *

You stared at your reflection in Anne’s vanity mirror in awe. She’d made you absolutely gorgeous, and you almost didn’t recognize yourself with how dolled up you were. You couldn’t help but keep your mouth agape as you stared at your own reflection.

“Luka!” Anne called out through your haze of examining yourself. Luka quickly ran into the room, straightening himself up as he stepped beside his mother.

“Yes mom?” He asked, looking her in the eye. She returned a smile to him and then indicated to you.

“How does she look?”

You looked up at Luka, who instantly smiled when he saw you. His smile made you feel even more confident in yourself.

“You look amazing, (y/n). Wonderful job, Mom,” he said, resting his hand on his chin. You blushed, turning away and back to the vanity mirror.

“Now, we get you in the dress. Luka, go get the dress from the guest bedroom closet,” Anne demanded, holding out a hand to you so you could rise from the seat in front of the vanity.

After Luka retrieved the dress, you quickly got into it, afterwards adding the final touch of a beautiful silver necklace with a cut of aquamarine in the pendant.

“I think this fits very well with your outfit dear. Now, go wait with Luka downstairs. Guests should be arriving any time soon,” Anne said, pushing her blonde hair back as she shooed you out of the room. You softly thanked her before rushing out and then down the grand staircase of the magnificent home. Downstairs, there was a pair of shoes waiting for you by the end of the steps. You slipped them on with ease, growing a couple of inches from the heels, and then you headed to the sitting room where Luka was waiting for you.

To say you were nervous was an understatement, but as each passing second went by, you were filled less with dread and more with excitement. There were no real words to describe how wonderful it would be to see Kylo again after all these years. After all, out of the three Solo brothers, you were always closest to Kylo. Meeting him again was like a dream you’d never expected to become reality.

“You seem excited,” Luka noted as you sat down, flattening your gown as you plopped onto the armchair. You smiled and nodded, looking at the lit fireplace as the firewood crackled in the heat.

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. I never thought I’d see him again,” you said, not looking up from the fire. The expression on your face dropped as anxiety filled you once more.

“You never explained to me how you knew each other,” Luka said, leaning forward in his seat so he could listen to your tale. You knew eventually you had to explain, it wasn’t like your familiarity with Kylo was anything bad, it was just simply something you had put off sharing. You smiled, though, as you thought of all the happy memories from childhood.

“Well, we actually grew up together, in Alderaan. It was me, Poe Dameron, Kylo, and his two brothers, Matt and Ben. I was closest with Kylo though,” you said, smiling fondly as you looked over to Luka. He smiled as well as he watched you, your reminiscent happiness almost contagious. “We used to go out to the lake every Sunday to skip rocks. I was always bad at it, but Kylo was like a master at it. Also, we’d always go to the movies together, sometimes it was all five of us, sometimes it was just me and Kylo.”

“So what happened?” Luka asked, causing the smile on your face to slowly drop. You wrapped an arm around yourself and looked back at the fireplace.

“He wasn’t happy staying in Alderaan anymore. Snoke sought him out because of who his grandfather was, and Kylo was just like Anakin. Even his mother thinks so. The last day I saw him, he said that the only reason he hadn’t gone with Snoke yet was because of me. I told him I didn’t want to be the thing keeping him in a place where he wasn’t happy,” you said, letting out a sigh. You remembered that day very vividly. You also remembered the phone call you’d received the next day from Ben telling you that Kylo had disappeared. Your heart had been broken but you felt at the time he would be happier.

“I’m sorry,” Luka said very softly, also turning to look to the fireplace pensively.

All of the sudden, a loud and resounding knock at the door caused the two of you to snap out of your depressing haze, and caused you to both look up.

“Well, I guess it’s time we make our way to the ballroom,” Luka said, standing from the armchair. You copied him, dusting off your skirt before following Luka out of the sitting room.

The haze of guests packed into the once empty ballroom as people in elegant gowns all crowded within. Kylo pulled lightly on his tie to help relive him from the stuffiness of the room. He looked over at Tal, who always walked with an air of confidence and always seemed to know what to do in social situations. Very much unlike Kylo.

“What’re you looking so anxious about?” Tal asked as he grabbed two flutes of champagne from a butler who walked by and handed Kylo one while he sipped from the other. Kylo frowned before taking a swig from the glass and then sighing.

“Because I don’t normally do this, Tal. You’re the one who does all the socializing,” Kylo said, his baritone voice rumbling deep in his chest. Tal shrugged as he took another sip from his champagne. His eyes wandered around the room, surveying all the guests he could see from where he, Tal, and Valerium were sitting.

“Val, why don’t you have some champagne?” Tal asked, looking past Kylo to see Valerium’s stone cold expression. Valerium frowned at Tal, which was something quite common, and let out a sigh.

“Because, Tal, someone has to be responsible here. Besides, I don’t like champagne,” Valerium stated very matter of factly as he pushed a piece of his silvery-blonde hair behind his ear. Tal threw his head back in a laugh as Kylo continued to shift awkwardly between the two. He was beginning to wonder if he should’ve brought more than just Tal and Valerium.

You scanned the ballroom in search of Kylo, hoping that you could at least catch a glimpse of him. However, with the ballroom beginning to fill up even more with all of Cortenshis’ guests, it was harder to distinguish any one person, so you resigned to eating some of the small snack foods laid out on the table that you and Luka happened to be standing by. Luka saw your resigned look and let out a laugh, taking hold of one of the toothpicks that had some random cheese attached.

“You’ll find him eventually. There’s only so many people here,” Luka assured you as he bit into the cheese. You sighed and turned away, looking out to the magnificent windows that lined the ballroom walls. The snow was falling lightly outside in the night air, riding along the wind wistfully.

The clinking of a spoon on glass had you snapped from your thoughts as you looked to where Lukas Cortenshis was standing, next to the small orchestra he’d hired for the night. Your eyes watched him as he cleared his throat, the ballroom going silent as their attention turned to their host.

“I’d like to thank you all for coming tonight,” Cortenshis started, “It’s always a pleasure to throw this gala every year, and it’s even better to see new faces each time. However, I of course do not do all the preparation alone. I’d like to thank my son Luka for helping organize the food and the guests for this year’s gala.”

Everyone clapped and turned to face Luka. As Kylo did so, he noticed someone next to him, smiling widely at Luka as he accepted all the compliments from the guests surrounding him.

For a moment, Kylo’s world went silent as he realized who it was standing next to Luka. He stopped clapping and simply stared wide eyed at the beautiful face he thought he’d never see again. You looked like a winter goddess in his eyes, the dress you were wearing looked like it was made from the snow falling from the sky and the bright winter sky in midday. He could hear his heart pounding in his chest as he watched you smile, a smile still so radiant it put the stars to shame.

“Kylo?” Tal all but yelled as the clapping died away and the guests returned to their socializing. Kylo turned towards Tal, his brows furrowed in confusion. Why were you here? Was it even you he was seeing, or someone who looked eerily like you? Kylo had to know so he turned towards Tal once more.

“Tal I need you to do me a favor,” Kylo said, running a hand through his jet black hair.

“Yeah, sure boss,” Tal said, standing up straighter next to Kylo. Kylo felt a tightness of anxiety in his chest as he turned back to where you and Luka were standing.

“That woman standing Luka, I need you to find out what her name is,” Kylo said softly, only loud enough for Tal to hear. Tal was confused by Kylo’s request, but nodded and headed towards Luka nonetheless.

You laughed at Luka’s comment about his father’s soon to be drunkenness when you noticed a tall figure approach the two of you. When you looked over, you felt a bit of disappointment seeing that it wasn’t Kylo. However, you did notice that Luka’s grin widened.

“Hello Tal,” Luka said, smirking at the man who’d just appeared.

“Hello Luka. Unfortunately I didn’t come just for you. Your friend here-“ Tal turned to look at you, giving you a warm smile, “has attracted the attention of a very nervous and unsociable man who would like to know her name. So, Madame, what is your name?” You blushed lightly at the thought of someone being too nervous to speak to you, but you still felt disappointed about Kylo, so you simply smiled back at Tal.

“It’s (y/n) (y/l/n),” you stated.

Kylo saw Tal pushing his way through the crowd of elegantly dressed guests and make his way ack to Kylo. Kylo started anxiously fiddling his fingers as Tal stepped closer until his friend was right in front of him.

“So?” Kylo asked, eager to see if it was really you.

“Her name is (y/n) (y/l/n),” Tal stated, a smile on his face. For the second time that night, everything seemed to slow down in Kylo’s world. So it was you, after all these years. You’d somehow manage to weasel your way back into his life, and he was nothing but elated, and yet terrified at the same time.

Kylo started walking towards you, ready to finally hear your voice again after all this time. It was too good to be true though, when he was stopped by a strong arm wrapped around his shoulder, causing him to be pulled back. Kylo let out a frustrated sigh as he looked down at the drunken face of Lukas Cortenshis. Suddenly, he was reminded of why he was even here in the first place, so he turned to Cortenshis with as much of a smile as he could muster.

“Kylo, my lad. I was beginning to worry you hadn’t come! So, how are you doing?” Cortenshis said, his cheeks rosy from the heat of the room and the alcohol combined. Kylo kept his forced smile on his face as he thought only about meeting up with you again.

“I’ve been good, Lukas. This really is a wonderful gala,” Kylo noted, trying to butter his way into Cortenshis’ favor so that he could slip away quickly.

“That’s damn good! Well, I know I’m being sought out by my wife somewhere, so I’ll speak with you later,” Cortenshis leaned in and lowered his voice. Kylo also leaned towards him so that he could hear the older man better. “I want to meet you and Hux in my office after most of the guests have left.” Kylo nodded and then watched as Cortenshis walked away, parting the crowd of people all socializing and dancing.

Kylo let out a sigh of relief as he turned back to head towards you…except you were no longer there. Kylo let out a groan of frustration as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Tal smirking at him.

“Follow me boss,” he said, indicating for Kylo to follow him.

You shivered as you felt the cold wind hit your bare shoulders on the balcony that you and Luka had just gone to in order to escape the crowd within the ballroom. Though the garden from the view of the balcony was gorgeous, bushes of evergreen topped in snow, the cobblestone path through the garden cleared of all the snow, making the atmosphere surreal, you couldn’t help but still be a little anxious. You still hadn’t seen any trace of Kylo, and you doubted that he would find you out here on the balcony.

“Don’t worry, he’ll come soon enough,” Luka said, as if reading your thoughts. He was seated on the stone bench by the railing, his ankles crossed as he stretched his legs out. You frowned as you moved to sit next to him.

“How can you be so sure?” You asked with a sigh, threading your fingers together and placing them down on the skirt of your dress. You heard Luka let out a chuckle from beside you.

“Because I told Tal to come here, remember? Tal is Kylo’s right hand man,” Luka stated, causing you to perk up. So it was Kylo who had asked about your name earlier. The thought alone had a blush rising to your cheeks. You couldn’t wait until Luka brought him around.

As if on cue, the door to the balcony suddenly opened, revealing two men in black tuxedos walking out. You recognized Tal as soon as he stepped out, as he was the first of the two to join Luka and yourself on the balcony. As soon as you laid eyes on the second man, though, you slowly stood, watching him in awe.

He was slightly taller than when you’d last seen him, his hair longer as well. His overall appearance was more rugged, but in a way, you loved it, and it made him even more handsome. He had the same expression on his face that you did as he stared back at you, equally in awe of the situation.

For a moment, you forgot about everything, your shitty apartment, less than perfect job, or the task that Ben, Matt, and Poe had given you. The only thing you could focus on was Kylo, and you didn’t even notice yourself walking towards him until you found yourself wrapping your arms around him, burying your face into his chest.

He was shocked at first, after all part of him was convinced you’d never really wanted him, but after a few moments, he slowly wrapped his arms around you, pressing his cheek against the top of your head. He couldn’t really describe what he was feeling, he was simply overwhelmed with emotion.

“Luka, let’s leave them be,” Tal said to his lover as he pulled on the young man who was staring at you and Kylo with a dreamy expression on his face. Once the two of you were alone on the balcony, you looked up at Kylo’s face, taking him in as if he were merely a figment of your imagination, one that would blow away with the winter wind.

“Why are you here? Of all places, here, at Cortenshis’ winter gala?” Kylo asked, a bit of a chuckle in his voice as he looked down at you. You laughed as well, pushing a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

“Because I’ve been friends with Luka for about a month now. He invited me. Of course, his father thinks I might make his interest in men go away, but I doubt that will ever happen,” you said, letting out a laugh. You felt your cheeks heat up slightly as you watched Kylo’s expression.

The rest of the gala was spent talking to each other endlessly, catching up after all the years the two of you had gone without seeing each other, and also occasionally dancing together, causing other people to leave room for the two of you in the ballroom. Everyone watched in awe, trying to get a look at the girl who had all of Kylo Ren’s attention. You couldn’t give them any thought though, you were just happy to be with Kylo again.

“And to think that I’ll be working at this _awful_ diner until I can find something better is driving me insane,” you ranted as the two of you stood by the food table, sipping on champagne as Kylo listened to your ramblings intently. It was something you’d always appreciated about him, his ability to listen attentively.

Suddenly, you heard someone clearing their throat beside the two of you. You looked up at a man who was almost as tall as Kylo, but not quite, his blue eyes seeming cold, and his silvery blonde hair slicked back neatly.

“Ren, Cortenshis is looking for us,” he stated, looking at Kylo and purposely keeping his gaze away from you. You frowned at this man’s behavior. What had you done to him?

“Of course, thanks Valerium. (y/n), you should wait until I’m done speaking with Cortenshis. There’s something I want to ask you when I’m done,” he said, giving you a smirk that made your heart leap in your chest. As Kylo walked away, the man called Valerium gave you a once over, and a flash of disgust appeared on his face before he followed Kylo. You frowned as you watched the two of them walk away.

After a few seconds, Luka appeared next to you, his hair in disarray and a smirk on his face.

“I suppose your job was easier than everyone was making it seem, huh?” he asked as he leaned against the table containing the last of the food in the now emptying ballroom. Your frowned deepened at his words as everything you were meant to be doing came back to you.

“Yeah, I guess so. It’s amazing what missing a person can do,” you noted, your eyes scanning the ballroom for nothing in particular.

“Are you talking about you or him?” You frowned as you looked up at Luka, confused by his question.

“What do you mean?” you asked, crossing your arms and furrowing your brows as you leaned against the table as well.

“C’mon, (y/n), it’s obvious you missed him, and that you care for him. The question is though, do you care for him enough to not do the job that Dameron expects of you?”

You thought a bit about his question before letting out a sigh. In a way, he had a point, not that you would ever admit it to anyone other than Luka. However, no, you didn’t think you cared enough about Kylo to completely omit the friends who had been by your side since childhood.

After a while of you and Luka waiting for Kylo and Tal, the two men finally walked into the ballroom, Kylo expressionless, but Tal holding the widest grin you’d ever seen in your life. You turned to Kylo who seemed a bit nervous as he looked down at you before giving you a small smirk.

“Will you come with me really quick?” he asked, holding out his hand for you to take. You felt your heart flip again, but then you remembered. _I have a job to do, I can’t let him charm me like he used to._ You took his hand and he lead you back out to the balcony, the winds now calmed from earlier, and snow no longer falling from the sky.

“I just, uh, wanted to know if, um, you aren’t busy on Tuesday, if you would want to get dinner,” he said, looking down at his feet as he asked. You felt a blush creep up on your cheeks and you mentally cursed yourself for feeling anything for him.

“I would love to,” you said softly, smiling up at him. His face came up to look at yours, searching it as if to make sure he had heard you right, and that he was looking for any indication otherwise. After he realized that he had indeed heard you right, the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile.

“Great! Do you want me to take you home tonight? I’m sure my driver wouldn’t mind,” he said, running a hand through his black hair.

“Thanks for the offer, but Luka is gonna take me home tonight. I’ll give you my telephone number though, so you can call me and I’ll tell you my address,” you said. He grimaced and nodded, following you inside so that you could give him your telephone number. Once you’d done so, the two of you exchanged your goodbyes for the night. Kylo brought you in for a quick hug and looked over you once more as if to assure himself that you were real.

“I’ll call you,” he said with a smile before turning towards Tal and Valerium, both of which were holding completely opposite expressions.

After everyone had gone, you got undressed and then back into the clothes in which you arrived. As soon as you went down the stairs, Luka was waiting for you, the keys to his Cadillac in hand.

Once you had gotten home, you changed into a nightgown and laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling as you thought about the night you’d just had. With a sigh, you kept thinking back to Kylo’s face when he first saw you. With a frown, you scowled at yourself for being attracted to him, but deep down you knew there was no real way to stop it. The connection between you had always been there, and it seemed that even the years apart couldn’t break that bond.


	5. Chapter 5

Kylo stared out at the passing land with tumultuous thoughts like the snow falling from the sky going through his mind. He couldn’t stop thinking about you, about the way you smiled at him, the way you were genuinely happy to see him again, everything about you was magic. What was more is that he was going to invite you to dinner. He was in a state of total and utter bliss, thinking about you, and the night the two of you shared. It felt like fate was finally working in his favor, and he couldn’t explain how full his heart was at the thought of it, a warmth he hadn’t felt in years.

“Ren, are you listening?” Valerium’s voice said, shaking Kylo from his thoughts. The scowl on his face returned as he turned to his advisor. Valerium always knew how to dampen Kylo’s mood with his logic and “wisdom.”

“Yes?” he said sourly, causing Valerium’s brows to furrow even deeper. It was clear that he felt attacked, but it was equally clear that he was going to get out what was on his mind.

“Who was that woman? And why did you spend so much time with her? You were supposed to spend the night next to Cortenshis, not alongside some minx,” he began saying angrily. It was clear that Valerium worried about their standing with Cortenshis. Kylo, however did not, especially after the meeting they had with Cortenshis. Kylo was, in fact, confident that they’d won his favor, and his numbers.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, so I suggest that you not try to add your commentary, Valerium. It is also your place to remember that I hold power over you, and I expect you not to question any decisions I make. Is that clear? Also I never want to hear you speaking ill of her,” Kylo said with finality in his voice. Like a dog that had just been caught doing something wrong, Valerium backed away, and turned to look at the window himself. Tal simply sat between the two, twiddling with his thumbs as he looked between them. Valerium liked to make his opinions known but Tal knew that Kylo didn’t accept that.

The ride back to the mansion was quiet except for the hum of Christmas tunes playing on the radio.

* * *

The days following the gala were days of congratulations from your friends at CPD. Once the boys had learned that you got in good with Kylo, they congratulated you, and of course Matt for his genius idea. Through all the kind words and happiness, though, you couldn’t help the pang of guilt in your heart every time you thought of Kylo’s face.

That was the day after the gala, a day where you’d taken off from your job. Undoubtedly, you wanted to spend most of the time alone in your apartment, but throughout the day, Poe, Ben, and Matt all decided to show up to see how it went. With a resigned expression, you told the story with as little detail as possible. You didn’t want anyone thinking you were charmed with Kylo. You didn’t even want to believe it yourself. Once the visitors had finished coming and going, you decided to draw yourself a nice long bath to help distract you. You just wanted some peace and quiet.

The next day you had work, but it was next to impossible to do your job. It also didn’t help that the diner wasn’t very busy, as it was during the holidays, especially with the intense snow. So, it was, you, Lyra, and Kyle, along with all the kitchen staff. It was practically just sitting around, waiting for customers to show up. It only made it that much easier to go in and out of focus.

“(y/n), are you awake?” came the disembodied voice of Lyra, causing you to snap out of your haze. You looked over to here as you rubbed your eyes and pushed off the counter of the diner.

“Yeah, sorry, what were you saying?” You asked, looking across the diner and eyeing the two tables that were split between yourself and Lyra. Kyle was only there to watch over the two of you. He doubted that anyone else would show up. The whole shift proved that to be true. With a sigh, you looked back at Lyra.

“Only that Rose and I went to the department store the other day and saw the most beautiful necklace. It was made of real pearls. I remember telling her that I wish I had someone to buy me a set of pearls like that. She simply shrugged and acted like she didn’t care. I know she does though, I’ve seen the way she is around Finn. Do you think they’re dating? I think so. I mean, they spend practically all their time together,” she rambled, causing you to roll your eyes.

“I’m sure she’s interested in Finn, but I don’t know if they’re going together. After all, Finn was interested in Rey for a while, and Poe. He might still be interested in both. He’s a bit of a hopeless romantic. However, just because Rose might have an interest in Finn, doesn’t mean she cares about something like pearls. She’s not much of a materialistic person like you,” you added. You knew why Rose and Finn spent so much time together, though. Ben had told you that they were spies in Armitage Hux’s gang, the First Order. They were rivals to Kylo and the Knights of Ren.

Kylo. Something always brought you back to him. Once more you began to worry about the phone call. You quickly shook it off though. It wouldn’t be long until you were done with your shift so you could read and wait for the phone to ring.

“Maybe. Sometimes Poe seems like he likes everyone too, though. It did seem like he and Finn were flirting for a while. I don’t know though, they might be really good friends, like you and Ben,” Lyra said, grabbing a rag and wiping off the countertop of the bar. You furrowed your brow as you looked up at her.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you asked, slightly flustered.

“It just means that you and Ben look like you’re flirting a lot, but I know you aren’t interested. Ben might not have gotten the memo though,” Lyra said, not making eye contact with you. You were going to say something, but the cook called your name for your order. With a groan, you walked over to the small window and grabbed the plates, taking them to your window.

It frustrated you that even after your childhood, people expected you to be with Ben. It was something you had fought against for so long, especially after Kylo had left.

* * *

Ben stared at the old articles, flipping through the first records of the First Order. The first crimes they committed were small and petty, but soon they became murderers and drug traffickers, taking over organized crime in the city.

“Since we’ve got (y/n) established as our spy in the Knights of Ren, we need to focus on the First Order. Finn and Rose say they’re closer to collapse, especially since they might not have gotten the blessing of Cortenshis and his power. Now, we just need to find their weaknesses and destroy them from the inside,” Poe had said in a small briefing of a group of people in the police department who were known as the Resistance by everyone else.

This group didn’t consist of many. It was Poe at the top, who had taken over after Leia Organa, Ben and Matt’s mother, stepped down from the police department. She was still dedicated to fight in any way possible. Other than them, it was Rey, a secret member of the Resistance who wasn’t always sure if that was what she wanted but fought with her friends anyways. Alongside her was Rose, Finn, Paige, and a handful of people Ben didn’t know. He was social, but only to a degree. For the most part, he just stuck to his work now, determined to bring down both the First Order and the Knights of Ren. It hurt to think of it this way, but he had to see his brother behind bars for the crimes he’d committed in his time in the mob. He didn’t think he could ever truly forgive Kylo not only for the grief he caused his parents, but for the grief he caused you.

Ben kept reading back in the papers from the Coruscant Post. They even had an article about the death of Snoke.

MOB BOSS OF CORUSCANT’S BIGGEST CRIME RING DIES, LEAVES MOB TO ONE OF HIS TRUSTED MEMBERS.

Ben read through the paper for anything, but nothing was helpful. It only talked about the life of Snoke, who insisted to be called Supreme Leader by the members of his gang. Ben gagged at the thought of Kylo doing the same. It seemed like something his older brother would do in order to boost his ego.

“Any luck?” said Matt, peering over Ben’s desk.

“Shouldn’t you be in Forensics? I thought there was another victim of Hux,” Ben said without looking at his brother. He could hear Matt sigh before sitting down in the vacant chair usually used for witnesses to give their statements.

“Yes, and I finished the toxicology report. He was poisoned by a deadly dose of opiates. An overdose to make it look like suicide. However, Paige found that the man never had a history of drug abuse or mental illness,” Matt stated, still staring at Ben who continued to search through the papers. When he reached the end of the papers about either gang, he closed the record book and sighed, staring at the ceiling as he ran a hand through his hair.

“There are no leads on my end. I can’t find evidence without going into the field. Which, I might add, is almost impossible right now considering the snow,” Ben said with resign. Matt let out a sigh of his own and looked around the precinct.

“I’m sure something will come up. Besides, Finn said Hux has a business deal. He’s supposed to talk to Poe about it today. Be there for it, I’m sure Poe will let you go to the spot of the deal,” Matt said before standing. “I’m heading back to Forensics. There was someone who got shot yesterday that we’re finally doing autopsy on.”

Ben grimaced at his brother’s words. He didn’t understand how his brother became interested in forensics, but he didn’t care as long as he didn’t share the details. Sometimes, though, Matt “forgot” how squeamish Ben got hearing about autopsies.

Ben quickly got back to work, pulling up the Jedi Scrolls newspaper and searching through what they had on the mobs of Coruscant.

* * *

Three days after the gala, Kylo was sipping on the black coffee that had been made for him that morning. He sat at the kitchen table reading through the Coruscant Post, wondering if the CPD had begun targeting Hux and the First Order. Scanning the front page, he shook his head in disappointment as there was nothing about it. Had something major happened, it would be front page news. Kylo scoffed at the thought, though. He knew that the CPD would go after them first because they were weakening, immensely as a matter of fact. By the time they were finished with the First Order, there would be nothing CPD could do about Kylo’s organization. They would only grow in number and stealth.

Kylo heard a whining at his feet and saw both of his pitbulls staring up at him. They were usually his breakfast guests, following him all over the house. This was not abnormal for them, as they knew they could always trick Kylo into giving them food from his plate. With a smile, he pulled a sausage from his plate of breakfast and splitting it in half.

“One for you Caesar,” he said throwing the half of the sausage to the male pitbull who caught the bit in his mouth while wagging his tail fiercely, banging it against the leg of the wooden table. “And one for you Calpurnia.” Kylo gave the last piece to the female, who started tapping her feet up and down like she was dancing until the sausage landed in her mouth. Smiling down at his pets, he patted each one on top of their head before turning back to the paper.

Soon, Kylo’s silent morning was interrupted by two tall figures ambling their way into the kitchen. It was Phasma and Tal, deep in conversation with each other as they approached the table, each of them grabbing a plate that was left for them by Lorraine on the island of the kitchen. Lorraine always made sure to make breakfast for the three of them.

“Luka said it’s probably going to be us. Except, when I shared this with Valerium, he yelled at me and said that my “beau” wasn’t enough to tell us whether we won the favor or not. I still think it’s us. Besides, Hux can barely get along with anyone who doesn’t follow orders to a T. Cortenshis does as he pleases when he pleases. Hux can’t handle that,” Tal said as he took the seat to the right of Kylo. Phasma took the seat to the left as she already began eating her food, listening intently as Tal spoke.

“Valerium has been a fool recently. If I hear him snap at one more person, I’m promoting you to my advisor, Tal,” Kylo said, setting the newspaper aside and taking a bite from the eggs on his plate, cooked sunny side up.

“I would agree. Valerium is too stressed. The other day he yelled at Corpus for ‘not being careful.’ Maybe we should talk to his wife,” Phasma suggested, her mouth full of bacon.

“That’s a no-go. Apparently, their relationship has been at odds ever since…well, since Mitaka took a shot at him,” Tal offered. Kylo let out a sigh and ran a hand through his long black hair.

“I don’t care, quite frankly. I want him to stop making an ass of himself and stop trying to make an ass of me. Now, if you two will excuse me,” Kylo said as he rose from the table. As soon as he did, the shrill ring of the telephone came from the foyer, causing Kylo to sigh as he ambled over to the phone, followed by the clicking of filed claws against the tile floor.

Kylo picked up the phone and pressed it against his ear. “Hello?” he asked, crossing his arms and watching his dogs stare up at him with their mouths open, tongues sticking out, and tails wagging against the floor.

“Ren? Yes, hello, it’s Cortenshis. I was simply calling to tell you that you have my allegiance. It really didn’t take much thought, if I’m to be completely candid. Hux didn’t impress me much, very uptight,” Cortenshis said from across the line. Internally, Kylo was cheering. Externally, he kept his cool.

“I’m sure you won’t regret your decision. Besides, Hux and his empire will fall soon enough,” Kylo responded.

“Well, I’ll contact you when it’s time for a monthly meeting. Until then,” Cortenshis said before hanging up. Kylo smirked as he headed back for the kitchen. There was no greater feeling in the world than the feeling of triumph he felt right now. When he ambled back into the kitchen, both Phasma and Tal were looking at him. Kylo smiled again with that feeling of triumph, of victory.

“He chose us,” he stated, causing Tal to clap.

“I knew it. Luka wouldn’t lie to me,” Tal said. Phasma simply nodded.

“Alright. I’ll be in my study if any of you need me,” Kylo said before retreating up the stairs, being followed by Caesar and Calpurnia up the marble staircase. When Kylo got into his study, he quickly closed the door behind the dogs who retreated to their bed. Kylo sat at the desk where he had a book open from earlier, keeping track of all his business dealing in the next few months. He would have to organize who went where and what not, but in the end, it would pay off. It always did.

Looking over his desk, Kylo noticed a torn piece of paper on the corner of his desk against the wall. Picking it up, he examined it, and as soon as he saw the numbers, he realized what it was. It was your number. He almost forgot about asking you to dinner. A new rush of excitement coursed through him as he went for the phone sitting on the opposite side of the desk from where he’d put your note. Looking at the number on the paper, he began dialing the numbers on the rotary.

* * *

You were sitting in the claw foot tub in your apartment, your (y/h/c) hair pulled up into a bun as you allowed yourself to relax. It was the relaxation you needed after your long, and once more uneventful, day at work, despite having only been there since the early morning. If you weren’t so tight on money, you would consider getting a different job.

All of the sudden the shrill ringing of your phone caused you to jump, snapping you out of your dreamish state, and making water spill out from the edges of the tub. You quickly grabbed the robe that hung on the back of the bathroom and wrapped it around yourself before running to the phone. Was this the call you’d been waiting for?

As you sat down on the chair next to the table that held the phone, you picked up the phone.

“Hello?” you asked into the phone, hoping it would be the voice of Kylo.

“(y/n), hey, it’s Kylo. I was calling to see if you were still interested in getting dinner with me?” came the familiar deep voice.

“Yes, Kylo, I would be delighted to,” you responded, feeling your heart soar. Finally, you were getting somewhere. You were going to help Ben and Matt, at least that was what you were telling yourself.

“Amazing. Well, I’ll pick you up in two days and we’ll go to Del Fresco’s. You should probably dress nice. Would you mind giving me your address?” He asked. You quickly recited your address to him and said your goodbyes. Once you put the phone back on the rotary, you smiled, trying to contain your excitement.

Standing, you ambled over to the bathroom again, and tentatively stuck a couple of fingers in the tub to test the warmth of the hour. When the water felt cold, you frowned, and decided you were going to go ahead and get dressed in some pajamas. Since you didn’t have a shift later, you had time to just read, and you figured you might as well do it comfortably.


	6. Chapter 6

Your upcoming dinner with Kylo had your nerves on high alert. The first thing you did the next day was tell Ben and Poe, who expressed their congratulations at you finding your way into his life again. Though you knew congratulations was certainly due, the feeling that you were being congratulated for manipulating someone laid heavy on your conscience. After all he was an old friend of yours, even if he was a criminal. You didn’t even know if friend was the right word for it, either.

Over the days in which you had to prepare yourself for the upcoming dinner, you had reminded yourself that you were going to fulfill a promise, and nothing else. Though, you knew it wouldn’t hurt to have just a little bit of fun with Kylo. After all, when you’d first seen each other, it seemed like everything picked up where it was left off. You wanted to return to that feeling for one more night, then you would be dedicated to your job.

There was also the problem of what you were going to wear. As you mentally prepared yourself for your dinner with Kylo. You raided your entire closet, and nothing suited the dinner. It almost seemed hopeless for you to keep trying to find the right combination of clothes in your closet, so you decided to call someone you knew with more fashion sense than you.

It didn’t take much convincing to get Lyra to help you find something to wear for dinner. In fact, she was thrilled, and almost talked your ear off trying to find out about Kylo. However, the promise of telling her more about your date made her excited to come over almost immediately.

She picked you up from your apartment with her boyfriend’s car in record time, considering she was usually late to everything. Naturally, she was all smiles as you opened up the door to the blue Chevy Bel Air and climbed in.

“Alright, so I was given a budget, so I can help you get something to wear since I know you’re barely living off of last month’s paycheck,” she said in a very matter of fact kind of way. You were a little shocked to hear it, even though it was true. Lyra did have a tendency to say exactly what was on her mind, but it still was ever really something you expected. You supposed that she was more immune to money matters now that she had her man.

“I can’t let you do that. Besides, I’m sure your boyfriend gave that money for you, not me,” you replied, looking out of the window as the two of you began to drive away from your small apartment.

“Not boyfriend. Fiancé,” Lyra said with a smile before sticking her hand out to you. You looked over, and sure enough on her finger was a huge diamond ring. You stared at it for a couple of minutes before she replaced her hand on the wheel again. It was beautiful but must have cost a fortune with how huge the center stone was, let alone the smaller diamonds littering the band.

“Congratulations!” You really didn’t now what to say. It’s not like you knew him or anything, but you were indeed happy for your friend. She was always one to fantasize about settling down and having a nice husband who made good money, mostly so she didn’t have to work herself.

“Enough about me, though. What about this beau you’re going to dinner with?” She asked as she stared ahead at the dark asphalt that contrasted greatly to the snowy landscape.

“Oh, he’s a really nice guy, he’s such a gentleman, and we’ve actually known each other for a while. I’m actually pretty excited,” you remarked, thinking about Kylo.

“He’s obviously making some good cash if he’s taking you to Del Fresco’s. What’s his profession?” Lyra asked. For a moment you froze. You really hadn’t expected this question, so you answered with the first thing that came up in your mind.

“He’s a businessman,” you stated, staring down at your hands as you waited for a response.

“Nice. Well, if he makes enough money, maybe you can quit working at Dex’s,” she said. It made sense, but not for the reasons Lyra had in mind. You were getting paid by CPD after all, and it would be more than you’d ever been paid at the diner. You wondered if, after everything, you could finally leave Coruscant behind.

“Not all of us have the same marital ambitions as you, Lyra,” you said, shaking your head. You looked out of the window and saw the Mall coming into view. It seemed almost like a Christmas wonderland, with the giant tree on the roof, and lights lining the top of the building.

“Alright, let’s check it out!” Lyra said before climbing out of the car and heading towards the mall’s entrance.

In an hour, you hadn’t found anything. The two of you had searched all but two stores and you were about to lose hope. It seemed as if the universe was trying to make it impossible to go to this dinner.

“C’mon, let’s try this store,” Lyra said, dragging you into some fancy department store against your will. You were so tired of being disappointed in each dress and feeling it was either too much or too little. She dragged you past all the day clothes and into the evening dresses. Soon, your arms were covered in dresses, all of which were not your style at all.

Sighing, you put each of the dresses back on the racks one by one. Placing a hand on your forehead. You were so ready to be done and just go under-dressed. Sitting down on one of the plush pink couches, you placed your elbow on your knee, and your chin in your hand.

When you looked up, you noticed something. It was a dress, forest green with leaf lace overlay on it. Standing, you quickly walked to the dress and grabbed it off the rack. You checked the size and noticed that it was your size. Excitement filled you to the brim as you clutched the dress.

“(y/n), where’d you go?” came Lyra’s voice from the racks. You quickly walked over to find her with dresses on her arms. You held up the dress you found and smiled.

“(y/n) that’s gorgeous!” she said with a slight squeal before ushering you into a fitting room. You began to put on the dress and as you slid it onto your body, you noted how perfectly it fit, almost like it was made for you. Once you’d pulled it up all the way, Lyra came behind you and zipped it up.

The off the shoulder sleeves gave you a very sophisticated look, but without looking as if you were overdressed. The trumpet silhouette of the dress complimented your body perfectly, and you were amazed. You looked like a version of yourself from a different world, where you weren’t just some waitress from a diner, but someone with the class that almost all people dreamed of.

“You look amazing,” Lyra said quietly, her jaw slightly opened as she stared at you. You felt her words within you and new they were true. You were sure you were ready for this dinner.

Hux walked through the cold stone hallways of his home, straightening his tie as he headed for his dining room. The click of his shoes against the marble floors seemed to echo through the empty estate, making it seem spooky, almost haunted. It was a quiet day, but an important day, and as he reached the dining hall, he saw all of his accomplices sitting at the table. There was an empty seat but Hux paid it no mind. It was best she wasn’t here right now, after all she had said she would be out for a while. Hux decided he would go ahead and proceed with the meeting. Besides, he knew she was too close to people involved with the enemy.

“I’m sure all of you know why we’re here. The CPD have been on us about our dealings, and it’s time for us to take action. Mitaka, I want you to arm more of our overseers, they should be able to have something to fight against these damn police should they come to our operations. I want this weekend at the pier to be the most secure. That’s our biggest payload, and I don’t want to take any risks,” he said, sitting tall and sophisticated, as always.

Everyone in the room seemed to agree. All except one man, who raised his hand before speaking. He seemed nervous, even scared, to speak up, but Hux wasn’t going to stop him. If anything, he almost wanted this man to make an imbecile of himself.

“Sir, you realize that without the help of Cortenshis, what you’re proposing will be very difficult. Also, we have to worry about Ren and his men as well,” the man said. Hux gave the man a very deadly glare before clearing his throat.

“I’m aware. I’m also aware that I am the one in charge, no you. Now, Ren and his men are a whole other problem. We’ll send the CPD a tip off, if you will, about something I noticed at Cortenshis’ gala. That should give us some even ground against him,” Hux said, lacing his fingers together atop the dining room table.

Poe quickly walked over to Ben’s desk, where he was, once more, reading through old newspaper articles. He knew Ben would be excited about the news Rose and Finn had given him. Poe also new Ben needed this, it was like medicine to a defeated man. It was also a blessing to the precinct. This was the leverage they needed in an ongoing war.

When he reached Ben’s desk he slammed down the piece of paper. Ben jumped before closing the old newspaper record and waiting for whatever it was Poe was going to say.

“I’m giving you clearance to raid the pier. Apparently Hux has a business dealing there, and I’m letting you take this raid,” Poe said. Ben looked up in shock, almost as if he’d hit some kind of jackpot. This was the only kind of success the CPD had gotten in months.

“Alright, are you going to lend me the task force?” Ben asked. Poe simply nodded before walking back towards his office. He promptly closed the door as he entered.

Ben couldn’t believe it. This was a god-send, truly. The bugs in Hux’s house worked, and they now had a lead to help end Hux’s crime ring. Also, the closer they were to breaking Hux, the closer they would be to getting to Kylo. Ben thought about you for a split second. Was it a mistake to involve you? Surely not, you would do anything for your friends, and you knew it was for the betterment of the city.

Ben shook his head, trying to rid himself of these thoughts. He had something else to worry about now and he had to give it his full attention. There was no way he was going to let Hux walk away easily. Ben would put some of his men into jail, where they belonged.

You put the finishing touches of your makeup on before you went over to put on your dress. Though you might have seemed calm on the outside, on the inside your nerves were going awry. Kylo had called earlier to ask for your address, which you had readily given to him in your excitement. Soon, he would be here and the two of you would be off. Off to dinner, off to a night a bliss, and surely a night where both of you could forget any responsibilities you had. To say you were excited was an extreme understatement.

As you slipped on the dress, you felt your excitement bubble. You were progressing in your job, but you were also going to enjoy dinner with an old friend. It would be so refreshing to be able to sit and talk where neither of you had responsibilities or worries that someone would come and interrupt the two of you. It would be just like old times, with maybe more happiness involved.

When you finished, you searched for your coat and pulled it on as you waited in the living room. He would knock, is what he had told you earlier on the phone. The longer you waited, though, the more anxious you became, soon resulting in you to pacing around your living room. A couple minutes felt like many hours as you waited, at least until a rap at the door caused you to jump. Stumbling across the room, you opened the door to reveal Kylo.

He stood as tall and elegant as ever, his coat making him seem so regal as it hugged his form tightly. The suit he wore underneath looked tailor made, which wasn’t surprising considering how gigantic he was. He’d obviously attempted to slick his hair back, but you figured that he’d run his hands through his hair enough times to make it fall as it normally did. You supposed old habits died hard. He wore a red tie, a splash of color added onto his monochromatic look that made him seem very alluring, almost dangerous.

In his hands he held a bouquet of red roses wrapped in colorful tissue paper. The fragrance from the flowers filled your senses, and you gladly took the roses from his hands. As your hands touched each other, an unfamiliar feeling washing over you, you smiled up at him brightly and noted his nervous half-smile as he stood in your doorway.

“Let me put these in a vase,” you said, ushering him inside as you quickly made your way to your kitchen to grab a vase. Once you did, you filled it with water and then gently placed the roses inside. You placed the vase at the center of your kitchen table and then headed back to the living room, where Kylo was standing.

He stared around the room, observing your home, which made you nervous. You were sure he lived in a much nicer place than this, and he must’ve been unimpressed.

“I like your home. It’s quaint,” he noted as you watched him. You simply smiled at him, feeling less nervous due to his comment. Quaintness must’ve been something he missed, considering his rather eccentric life.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked, looking down at you. You simply nodded, and the two of you headed out of the door.

Outside there was a black Lincoln Continental parked. You knew it was Kylo’s immediately because it was definitely a car that suited his style. You always remembered Kylo had a taste for anything sleek and intimidating. This car certainly was that, its air of sophistication almost shocking.

When you climbed inside the car, it was still warm from when Kylo last had it on. The inside leather seats felt so luxurious that it almost felt surreal for you to be in this car, let alone sitting next to Kylo as he drove out of your apartment complex. Anxiety and excitement seemed to brew inside of you all at once, and you tried to force it down as you enjoyed the sound of the radio as you drove along the snowy road.

The cold air was awakening to Ben as he stood outside the van, ready for his task force to descend upon Hux’s men.  He pulled his coat tighter around his body to trap in any possible warmth as he thought intensely. It would be a pivotal moment in his career, something he’d thought about ever since Poe told him about the operation. He would finally live up to the legacies of his parents, instead of tarnishing their reputation, like _he_ did. Yes, Ben would prove himself worthy of all the accolades of his parents.

A voice came on over the walkie-talkie and Ben quickly put it up to his ear, so he could clearly hear what was being said. Excitement and adrenaline coursed through his veins as he eagerly awaited the message.

“Suspects moving towards crate, operation overseer spotted,” came the voice from the other side of the channel. Ben was quick to respond, ready to get into the action.

“Move into position, descend on the signal,” he responded before motioning to the men inside the van. Quietly, each man stepped out of the back, quickly moving themselves into the positions they were preassigned. As Ben moved into position, he could see the overseer. It was a man that had been identified as Mitaka, someone on Hux’s inner team, his officers, as he called them. Ben also observed how all of Hux’s men had better rifles. Good thing the task force had already received updated weaponry.

Ben waited to see if there was actually a payload before deciding to move. It was nerve wracking to just sit and wait, but as soon as one of the boxes was opened, Ben could see the stock of opium in the crate. Jackpot.

“Move,” he said into the walkie-talkie before his men descended onto Hux’s men.

“CPD, don’t move!” came one of the members of the task force. Ben watched as the handful of Hux’s men with guns dropped their arms and stood with their hands up. They were overpowered with absolutely no chance of winning if there was a gun fight. The task force was too many for their small band of guards.

“Alright, Ackbar, take the payload and have it sent to evidence. Everyone else, make sure we’ve got all these men in cuffs!” Ben said as he walked towards Mitaka. It almost seemed too easy, catching this group. At least, that’s what Ben thought before he heard the sound of a gunshot and felt searing pain on the side of his arm.

Falling to the ground and clutching the part of his arm that was in pain, Ben looked up to see some of the task force members jumping on top of Mitaka, who had a glock pulled out. Moving his hand from his arm, he noticed blood all over his fingers and winced, wiping his hand on his pants before standing up. When the men had Mitaka and all of his goons in cuffs, they led them to the vans, while someone came up to Ben with gauze. Ben sat on the bumper of one of the Crown Victoria’s and let one of the men wrap his arm.

“You should go to a hospital. It won’t be good for you to just leave it bandaged and not disinfected,” stated the man gauzing his arm. Ben merely nodded in response. He’d done his job, and he supposed that going to the hospital would be unavoidable to treat the bullet wound in his arm, but all he could think of was the adrenaline of actually sending criminals to jail.

For once, after months of scouring the city for any kind of lead, the CPD now made a move in their favor, and there would surely be more where this come. Armitage Hux had better watch out, because soon he and The First Order would collapse, and be nothing but a pile of rubble, remembered only for the terror they once brought.

The two of you had arrived to Del Fresco’s, and still had not spoke a word. It wasn’t an awkward silence, though. Rather, it was a comfortable silence like the kind normally felt with people you enjoyed and trusted.

Upon arriving, both you and Kylo stepped out of the car, and Kylo handed the keys to the valet boy before he got into the car and drove away. When Kylo approached you, he offered you his elbow, which you gladly took, wrapping your hand around the crook of his arm. The two of you walked into the restaurant and up to the hostess’ podium.

“Good evening! Do you have a reservation?” The hostess at the podium asked, looking up at Kylo.

“Ren. A table for two,” he simply stated. The hostess looked down at the podium and nodded before smiling and grabbing the menus and silverware before leading the two of you to your table.

As you looked around the restaurant, you felt extraordinarily out of place. The patrons were certainly all people who made endless amounts of money, and who probably came here often. Many of the women were covered in pearl necklaces and diamond rings. The men all wore beautiful suits and had fantastic coats, many of them wearing fur.

The actual restaurant was a whole other story though. The walls were painted an ornate gold and the ceilings were lined with crystal chandeliers. On each table were candlesticks placed in a holder, each of them looking elegant and refined. Even the chairs looked like they belonged in someone’s mansion, as opposed to a restaurant.

The waitress seated the two of you in a very secluded area. This part of the restaurant only had one other table full. This room was different from the rest of Del Fresco’s. Instead of the chandeliers, the only light was candlelight, which added a romantic feeling about the air.

The two of you sat across from each other, and you couldn’t help but notice how the candlelight helped make Kylo’s eyes seem almost golden. You felt a blush creep up on your cheeks as you admired how beautiful he really was, like a work of art.

“You look beautiful tonight, (y/n),” he said, breaking the silence between the two of you. You felt yourself blush at his compliment.

“Thank you. You don’t look to bad yourself,” you said with a grin, causing him to smile. It was a beautiful thing, you thought, something the world needed to see more often.

“It seems like fate, that we would find each other again. The last time I saw you I sincerely thought it would be the final time,” Kylo said, the smile dropping from his face as he entwined his fingers and rested his elbows on the table.

“I definitely think it is. I never thought I’d see you again either. But here we are, enjoying a dinner together!” you said to break the tense air that covered the two of you. Your response had him happy again, and he dropped his hands and laid them on the table, as if reaching out for your hand. Without hesitation, you gently placed your hand in his, seeing yours dwarfed by his massive hands. He smiled at you, and his eyes shined. You couldn’t help but smile back.

“How did you meet Luka?” he asked as he lightly tightened his grasp on your hand.

“Oh, we met at the diner I work at,” you said, reciting the story that you’d come up with Luka before the gala. “He came in one day, and we just clicked. He had that kind of personality that I like, and we just made really good friends.” Your lie came off your tongue so easily that it almost convinced you. What a bittersweet taste it had, especially since it reminded you of your job.

“Enough about Luka, though. I want to hear about you. What you’ve been doing, how you’ve been? We didn’t talk enough about you at the gala,” you stated, staring up at him with curious eyes.

For a moment, Kylo felt shame. Shame for all the bad things he’d done in the past, and shame that it might make you see him as less of a man. Sure, he was better off now, but he still worried about how you viewed him. Your opinion of him always had a special place in his heart.

“Just…business. Nothing more to it. I have dogs now, if that matters,” he stated, not wanting to tell you the gruesome details of what business entailed.

“Oh, what kind of dogs?” you asked excitedly. You’d always wanted dogs, but it wasn’t allowed in your apartment, so you had to make due.

“Two pitbulls. A boy and a girl. They’re named Caesar and Calpurnia,” Kylo said with a smile. His dogs were his only companions, and he wanted to talk about them to you. He also wanted you to meet them, but maybe that was best for another time.

The rest of the night, conversation flowed beautifully between the two of you. You shared some laughs and some sad stories, but in the end, you two enjoyed the time spent together. There was nothing really different from back then, if you excluded the fancy restaurant and the fact that Kylo was a drug lord.

When you had both finished your meals, and Kylo had paid for the food, you felt a sad pang in your heart. You didn’t know when you’d see him next after this.

The two of you left the way you came, with your hand rested around Kylo’s elbow. He opened the door for you when the valet boy came back with his car and then the two of you sped off back to your apartment.

On the radio you could faintly hear White Christmas playing, and without hesitation, you turned up the radio. Kylo looked at you with his brow raised, but he simply shrugged his shoulder as he drove. You began to hum along to the tune as you stared out the window, seeing that now was starting to fall again. It had snowed so much this winter, you would certainly have a white Christmas.

You heard humming coming from Kylo as well, and when you looked at him, he started singing along, a smile on his face. Along the drive, the two of you happily sang along to the songs on the radio, occasionally bursting into laughter whenever you tried to reach the low notes, or Kylo attempted to sing falsetto. It seemed like the world just couldn’t bother either of you right now as you drove down the road, singing the songs of the season.

Soon, the two of you had pulled up to your apartment complex, and you felt your heart sink a little the way it had when the two of you had left the restaurant.

“Let me walk you in,” Kylo said, climbing out of the car and running over to open your door for you. You walked up the metal stairs and then unlocked the door of your apartment, letting yourself into the warmth. Turning around, you looked back at Kylo, who had his hands in the pocket of his coat and was giving you a nervous half smile. The sight alone made your heart melt.

“Thank you for taking me out to dinner. And for the roses, they’re lovely,” you said, wrapping your arms around yourself as the wind blew.

“I was going to thank you for coming with me. Would you like to have lunch with me on Monday? It wouldn’t be so fancy and more of a casual thing,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. You smiled up at him before nodding.

“Of course. I would love that,” you responded. He smiled at you warmly before leaning down and placing a soft kiss upon your cheek. You felt your cheeks heat up intensely, and your eyes went wide at his action.

“Have a good night, (y/n),” he said before descending the stairs. You closed the door as soon as you saw him climb into his car, and then leaned against it, your heart racing. How were you going to be able to keep up with your job when even a brush against your cheek sent your heart into a frenzy?


	7. Chapter 7

Ben sat on his bed, hissing at the pain of his arm as Matt rewrapped it. They gave Matt strict instructions at the hospital as to what to do with the wound, and it was a pretty painful process. Not that getting hit by a bullet was a walk in the park, but healing usually hurt more than the actual injury. Matt was not happy to be called from the lab to tend to his brother, but his brother had gone through a monumental success, so the burden wasn’t so bad. In fact, he was proud of Ben, just not his stupidity.

“Did you not pat him down before going to arrest him?” Matt said with a bit of anger in his tone. He was tired of having to take care of his brother so much, especially since he was usually so careless, trying to prove his “worth,” or whatever. Matt shook his head at the thought of it.

“I was about to. That’s when he pulled the gun out. Enough about me, though. How do you think (y/n)’s dinner with _him_ went?” Ben asked, just to get the conversation off himself. However, the thought of you going to dinner with him caused a foul taste to arise in his mouth. Jealousy? Of course not. He figured it was just a mere distaste for his brother. After all, he’d abandoned not just you, but his family to. And for what? To be a crime lord’s lackey? It must have paid off, considering where he was now, but it didn’t excuse him.

“I’m sure it went well. He always had a sweet spot for her. Even when we were young,” Matt stated as he finished with the gauze. “How do you feel?”

Ben stood quickly and stretched his back. “What do you mean how do I feel?” He walked across the room to pull a shirt from his closet, opting for a simple sleep shirt before moving his way to the bed. He usually slept shirtless, it made it easier when he had to wake up at the ass of dawn, but he knew he wasn’t going in to work tomorrow, not that anyone could blame him.

“Well, considering how you’ve always felt about (y/n), I wouldn’t be surprised if you had a big problem with her being around your biggest competition again,” Matt started heading out of Ben’s room.

“Kylo isn’t competition anymore. I know (y/n) can’t ignore the things he’s done. Besides, I don’t think she wants either of us,” Ben said, melancholy lacing his words. Yes, he felt deeply for you, and yes, he hoped that one day you would decide that you felt something for him too, but he knew deep in his heart that there was nothing Kylo could do to make you forget the things he’d done. That alone was comfort enough.

“Whatever you say, Ben. Good night,” Matt said before closing the door to Ben’s room.

Ben sat in silence, pondering. No, he still believed that you knew he situation you were in, and that you wouldn’t allow Kylo to convince you he was something he wasn’t. This he was sure of. Besides, you knew what you were signing up for when you chose the job.

This didn’t stop the tiny part of Ben deep inside of him that was telling him something was off, though. Actually, that part became louder and louder with each passing day.

* * *

The following week after your dinner was ridiculously exciting. You had gone to lunch with Kylo when he first proposed it, and the two of you continued to bond. Then, the next day, he met you at the end of your shift to take a walk through the park, which looked like a winter wonderland.

It was pleasant, just to walk on the pathway that was cleared of snow, looking out at the white landscape as the two of you talked. You talked about all sorts of things, but at one point, Kylo became very serious. It wasn’t really surprising to you, but at the same time, you knew that his depth with you meant that he trusted you wholly after you had barely re-entered his life. It almost seemed as if he was still trying to hold on to how the two of you had been before he’d gone. It made you extraordinarily sentimental, but sad at the same time.

“How do you think we would have been had I never left?” He asked, almost inaudibly, but his baritone voice betrayed him and made it to where you understood his question. You thought about it for a few seconds.

“I think we would’ve moved to Coruscant, but I think we would’ve gone together,” you stated, being completely serious. You looked up at him and caught his eye, staring into his brown irises intently as he stared right back at you.

“I think so too,” he simply stated before breaking eye contact with you and continuing on.

It had been no secret to everyone in your hometown that the two of you were infatuated, and while everyone wanted you to marry Ben, they all new that your heart had always been set on Kylo. At least, until he left.

After that, he had walked you home, and promised to see you again soon. True to his word, he saw you the next day, surprising you while you were at work. Of course, he wasn’t dressed as regally as he normally did, as he was trying not to be recognized, but he dressed the way he did when you were teenagers. It was almost bittersweet, seeing him like this.

Lyra eyed the two of you the whole time he sat at the bar of the diner. Occasionally she sent you a wink, causing you to blush and hide away as you waited tables. You didn’t want anyone to see the extreme rosiness of your cheeks that happened each time Kylo smiled in your direction, or Lyra made a suggestive comment.

When you finished your shift, Kylo walked you home again, of course after tipping you graciously. On the way to your apartment, the two of you had another solid conversation. Once you arrived at your apartment, you invited him in.

“I’d love to, but I have work to attend to. Maybe next time though,” he said, taking your hand in his and giving it a small squeeze. You smiled up at him, despite the sad feeling in your heart that he couldn’t stay longer.

“Until next time, (y/n),” he said before leaning over to kiss your cheek. After he did, he stepped down the stairs and headed back the way the two of you had come. You moved your gloved hand to cover your cheek where he’d kissed you, and you smiled before retreating into the warmth of your home.

* * *

Poe walked into the precinct, quickly removing the hat from his head and shaking the light snow off the top. He shivered as some of the melting snow hit his warm hands, making a patch of his skin wet. He then proceeded to do the same with his coat, not wanting the melting snow to drip onto the carpet in his office.

As soon as he finished that, out of nowhere, Officer Connix seemed to have appeared right in front of him. Poe jumped slightly, not expecting the officer to simply appear but he supposed there could be worse things especially with the city in the condition it was in.

“Sir, there’s someone here who says he has a tip-off. I told him to wait in your office,” she said quickly, going straight to business.

“Thank you, detective,” Poe said before nodding her off, allowing her to return to her previous work. She was a dedicated detective, and spent most of her time on the field, but due to the death of her mother, she hadn’t been out. All of the higher ups thought that, due to her mother being a civilian casualty in a deadly shoot-out with the Knights of Ren, the wound may be too fresh, and it was best to keep her off the field until they deemed otherwise. Poe didn’t necessarily agree with them though, thinking that they had left a valuable member out of some of the most important business. It wasn’t his place to say otherwise, though.

Poe couldn’t help but feel bad for her. She wasted away in the precinct office and was a much better field officer. He couldn’t go against direct orders though, so she had to stay where she was. He had tried his hardest to get her back in the field though, even though his requests were ignored each time.

Shaking his mop of curly hair, Poe focused back to the matter at hand. In his office sat a short man, who looked very nervous to be where he was. Poe had never seen him before, so he knew he wasn’t a defective gang member, but he didn’t want to take this man’s tip-off as any less valuable. He could’ve have been a defective pawn, for all Poe knew.

Opening the door to his office, Poe watched the man jump in his seat as he turned to see Poe walking in. Poe simply ambled over to his desk after closing the door, and sat in front of the man, pulling out a notepad and a pen before looking up.

“So I’m told you have a tip-off for me?” Poe asked, looking the nervous man in the eye.

“Y-yes. It’s about Kylo Ren, the leader of the Knights of Ren,” the man responded. Poe perked up at Kylo’s name and leaned forward. Tip-offs were usually against the First Order. To have a tip-off against Kylo meant that this man was at close proximity to him or one of his right-hand men.

“He’s been seeing a girl. Frequently, every day since Monday. She works at Dexter’s Diner, off Fifth Avenue. I’ve seen him go in there more than once,” the man said, his body still shaking viciously. Inside, Poe’s stomach dropped a little. It was just about you. Great.

“She lives not far from the diner. Maybe she can give you the information you need. Also-“ Poe’s body froze at that. This man might be gold yet, if he had the information they needed. Maybe all hope wasn’t lost.

“Hux is watching her every move. He’s desperate to have the upper-hand on Ren, so I wouldn’t be surprised if hurting this poor girl was in his plans,” the man said. If Poe’s heart could drop any lower, it would’ve fallen to the ground. You were in real, immediate danger. He had to let the Solo’s know, your safety was of the utmost importance. Poe et his fear for you aside and returned to business mode, knowing this man might be in danger for the information he revealed.

“Thank you for your cooperation. Do you need me to contact witness protection?” Poe asked, turning around to find the files labeled WITNESS in bold letters.

“No. Hux doesn’t believe I would betray him. If I do, I’ll be sure to come to you as soon as I can,” the man said before making his way out of the door, leaving the precinct.

Poe instantly grabbed the telephone on his desk and started putting numbers in the rotary. He had to let Ben know. If you were in trouble, Ben would certainly know what to do.

* * *

Kylo opened his bedroom doors, watching Caesar and Calpurnia trot out and then quickly run down the marble stairs. With a small smile, he followed behind them, watching as they moved their stocky bodies to the kitchen, their nails that needed trimming clicking on the floor.

Before Kylo could even turn to head to the kitchen, the door was swung open. Kylo’s face fell flat when he saw Valerium, whose face was morphed into an expression of anger. Great, just what he needed this morning, an angry man telling him he was being stupid.

“He knows all about your little romantic escapade,” was all he said as he handed Kylo some pictures. Kylo looked at them. They were pictures of you and him in the park, holding hands in the snow. Kylo’s heart warmed at the memory, but then froze when he processed what Valerium had said.

“Who were these taken by?” Kylo asked, fear and anger bubbling up inside of him. If someone was sneaking into his personal life, he wanted to make sure they were taken care of.

“One of Hux’s men that’s trained for espionage,” came the voice of Phasma, walking in and shutting the front door behind her. “Ren, if Hux thinks he can use her as leverage against you, then she’s in real danger.”

The anger continued to boil, like some awful poison rising inside of him. He should’ve known better, he should’ve seen that being with you would be dangerous. But he was stupid, acting like that stupid young boy that was so deeply enamored with you. Now, he was surely going to pay for his lack of care.

There were two simple options that he had in front of them. Each of them created their own problems, but he knew it was in both of your best interests. Kylo knew, though, that it wouldn’t take long to choose between the two.

The first, he would simply stop speaking to you. He would never be seen with or around you ever again, and that way Hux would think something happened, or that Kylo had simply lost interest in you. The problem with this plan was that Kylo was completely selfish when it came to you. He didn’t want to simply cut ties with you, also there was no guarantee that Hux wouldn’t still try to use you to get to him.

Thus, he was left with only one real option. To bring you here, to live in his mansion. There were plenty of rooms where you could stay, and you could still work, someone there would just have to make sure you never went home with the wrong person.

“Ren, what are you thinking?” Came Valerium’s voice, shaking Kylo away from his thoughts. Yes, his mind was made up. This was the only viable option, and he was determined to keep you- the last good reminder of his life before crime- safe. Walking to the kitchen, being followed by both Valerium and Phasma, Kylo was glad to find Lorraine there.

“Lorraine, do you mind setting up the guest room? I have a friend who’s going to be having an extended stay here,” Kylo said as he looked Lorraine in the eyes. He tried his hardest to seem warm when speaking with her, after all she did make sure Caesar and Calpurnia didn’t destroy his house.

“You’re not serious, are you?” Valerium asked as Lorraine nodded, going to do as she’d been instructed. “Your solution to this problem is to bring her further into your ranks, involving her into our way of life?”

“There’s no guarantee that Hux won’t go after her if I break all contact with her. I’m simply doing what’s in her best interest. Question me again and I’ll have Tal taking over all of your responsibilities,” Kylo said with a final tone before reaching for the pack of cigarettes that usually sat atop the island counter. He brought one to his lips and pulled a lighter from his pocket, lighting the cigarette and taking a deep inhale.

Valerium looked with disbelief between Kylo and Phasma- who simply shrugged- before walking away and out of the houses. Since this issue was apparently out of his hair he had other things to attend to. He still had a feeling that not everything was going to go as Ren had planned.

As soon as he took another drag from his cigarette, Kylo walked over to the room where he had the telephone sitting neatly on a small table beside an armchair. Sitting in the armchair, Kylo put the number he’d quickly memorized into the rotary and picked up the phone, waiting for you to answer.

* * *

You stretched your limbs, the bright winter sun shining on your back through the window, providing you no warmth this cold December day. As you brought your arms back down, you heard the shrill ring of the telephone. With a sigh, you rose from your bed, wondering who on earth would be calling you on your precious day off?

Sitting in the armchair you had next to the phone, you took the phone off the receiver and pressed it to your ear, curling the wire around your finger.

“Hello?” You called into the phone, waiting for a response.

“(y/n)?” came Kylo’s voice from the other end. Suddenly, you felt yourself grow excited. It may be early in the morning, but that also meant that there was a possibility that Kylo might want to spend the day with you. You knew you shouldn’t be excited about it, but you couldn’t quite help it.

“Oh, hey Kylo. How are you?” You asked, trying to keep your excitement in.

“I’m fine. I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be over in about twenty minutes,” he responded. That made your stomach drop a little. Your apartment was messy, and you had only just woken up.

“Um, okay, see you then,” you responded, looking around the room and wondering what you could clean in twenty minutes.

“Alright. Goodbye,” he said before the line went dead. You frowned, putting the phone back on the receiver. After that you stood from the chair, quickly moving to your bedroom. First, you would throw something on, then you would clean up.

Twenty minutes had passed, and you had your apartment cleaned as best you could. Pulling the wrap out of your hair that kept your hair from getting dust and dirt in it, you plopped down onto the small loveseat as you waited. Almost the instant your butt hit the sofa, there was a loud knock on your door. Letting out a huff, you stood, walking across the small living room to open the door.

You opened up the door to reveal Kylo, dressed in a black coat and his usual black suit. He quickly stepped inside, shaking the snow off his shoulders before taking his coat off and placing it on the reack you had sitting next to the door.

“Pack your things,” was all he said. You gave him an astonished look.

“I’m sorry, what?” you responded, looking up at him in disbelief. How could he just ask you to pack your things out of the blue?

“Look, it isn’t safe for you to be here alone,” he said, sitting down. You followed his lead, waiting for him to continue. “My biggest rival, a man named Armitage Hux, has apparently been keeping track of you, specifically when we’re together. I thought about just breaking all contact with you, but I don’t think Hux will be deterred by that. It’s safest to just have you come live with me.”

Your heart stopped a beat. This seemed all like a dream-no, a nightmare.  Though this situation had put you in good standing when it came to your mission, you were in real danger. You knew that Hux and the First Order were ruthless, and if they felt they could get anything out of you about Kylo, they would try their hardest.

“There’s an extra suitcase in my car if you need it, but it’s not safe for you to be here,” Kylo said before standing. His height intimidated you, but at the same time, knowing he was here made you feel safe.

“What about my job? I can’t just quit without notice?” You asked before standing yourself.

“You can keep your job. My driver will drive you to and from work,” Kylo said before leaving your apartment, presumably to get the extra suitcase he’d spoken of. As soon as he’d gone, you made your way out of the living room and into your bedroom. You thought hard as you gathered some of the clothes in your closet and dresser, laying them out on the bed so they could be put away between your suitcase and Kylo’s. You would have to let Matt, Ben, or Poe know where it was you were going, but you didn’t want to risk making a phone call now. It would have to be when you were at work, when one of them came in for their lunch. You could already see Ben’s face twisted in worry for you, so you figured it would be best to tell Matt or Poe.

You heard the door opening again, and saw Kylo walk in with a massive suitcase, one that could have easily fit a body in there. Some grim and morbid part of your mind wondered if he ever did.

He brought it to you and began packing away some of the things on your bed into the suitcase.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you insisted, but he simply shook his head. He felt bad, making you come live with him for your safety, he at least wanted to be helpful to you.

The two of you packed your things in silence before Kylo zipped up the suitcase he brought in and stood, stretching his arms. You did the same with the suitcase you had, and stood, waiting for Kylo to say something.

“Alright, I’ll grab these,” Kylo said as he grabbed both the suitcases by their handles. You followed him as he headed outside, pulling on your coat, and grabbing the coat he’d left behind. Once you’d done that, you locked the door behind you and descended down the metal steps.

The drive to Kylo’s home was silent, and the only noise coming from anywhere around you were the occasional honks of cars passing by, and the soft playing of Christmas carols on the radio. You hummed along softly to some of them as you waited to arrive to wherever Kylo’s home was.

You knew instantly when you arrived, because you had first mistaken the driveway as a separate road. Soon, the asphalt turned into concrete, and you could see a roof over the tops of the trees growing all around. As soon as the house came into view, you held your mouth agape.

The mansion-more like a castle, actually- was huge. There were white columns at the front of the house, showing the grand entrance, two very large doors made of what seemed to be oak. The house must have been at least four stories high. There were French windows lining the house and a balcony above the doorway on what appeared to be the second floor, and balconies lining the entire third floor. There were at least three chimneys poking out from the roof, nd towers on each end of the house that looked like something out of a fairy tale. It was truly the most elegant house you’d ever seen.

“Do you like it?” came Kylo’s voice from beside you. You were speechless, so all you could do was nod. Kylo let out a light chuckle.

“Wait till you see the inside,” he said before parking the car and turning it off, taking the key out f the ignition as he climbed out. He reached into the back seat to get your suitcases as you continued to stare at the house.

You walked into the house as Kylo handed your stuff off to someone who looked like a butler. As soon as you stepped in, you were greeted with a bark, and then paws hitting you square in the stomach. You tripped a little, but Kylo had been right behind you, stopping you from falling. This gave you time to look at the two blue-nose Pitbulls wagging their tails happily at you.

“Caesar, Calpurnia! Down!” Kylo said sternly from behind you. The dogs obeyed, backing away and turning to run off somewhere, their tails wagging as they went.

Now that the dogs were out of your way, you had stepped fully inside, taking your coat off and placing it on the rack next to the door. Once you’d taken off you coat, you were able to look at the foyer of the magnificent house you were in.

In front of you was a grand marble staircase that led to another floor that was unseen due to the next staircases that came afterwards. The interior of the entire house was white marble, even the floor, which had you in complete awe. The railing of the stairs had such interesting filigree, and you couldn’t help but want to go up to it and examine it. Next to the stairs sat a couple of armchairs, and the first chimney. It was lit, a nice fire warming up the foyer. Next to one of the armchairs was a small table, holding a rotary phone on it. Part of you wondered if this was where Kylo always called you from.

“Bennett, do you mind taking Ms. (y/l/n)’s things up to her room? Lorraine will show you where to go,” Kylo said, snapping you out of your haze.

“Are you hungry, (y/n)?” Kylo asked as you turned to him. Your stomach grumbled in response, causing you to grimace before nodding in reply.

“Alright. Lorraine made us food, just follow me to the kitchen,” Kylo said as he turned away.

The kitchen certainly matched the foyer, almost to a T. The theme of white marble seemed to be universal in this house, as the countertops were all made of it. You spotted a large plate of breakfast food sitting on the island, hot steam still coming off it. You grabbed your food and then moved over to the breakfast table, seeing a familiar figure at the table, reading the Coruscant Tribune. The man put down the paper and you instantly remembered who it was.

“Why, hello (y/n). How’ve you been?” Asked Tal, a kind smile on his face. He had his legs crossed, looking up at you as he awaited your response.

“Just fine. And yourself?” You asked, sitting down across from him. Not long after, Kylo sat down beside you, already beginning to chow down on his food.

“Dandy. I’m glad to see you, but I’m sorry about the reason you’re here,” Tal responded before taking a bite out of the sausage on his fork. You were about to say something when Kylo cleared his throat.

“Let’s not talk about that now. (y/n), when we’re done, I’ll show you around the house,” Kylo said before he continued to eat. You simply nodded, and began to eat yourself, excited for what the day held for you.


	8. Chapter 8

Matt sighed, holding the small envelope that was concealed so discreetly behind the coffee maker between his fingers, your distinct handwriting sticking out. When Poe had told him the news, Matt had expected this. If you truly were getting into Kylo’s good graces, then it was no shock that he would whisk you away at the first sign of danger. It had always been Kylo’s intentions to keep you safe, even before he left. Matt let out another sigh as he looked around your apartment, checking to make sure you didn’t leave anything behind. It would probably be a while before you returned, and if he saw you at the diner, he wanted to be able to give you anything you needed. Once Matt decided that there was nothing left for you here, he turned towards the door, pulling out the spare key you’d given him.

The metal steps creaked as Matt clunked down them, shaking the snow off the rails with each step he took. He kept his head down, protecting his freckled face from the biting wind of winter as it whipped his blond curls to and fro. Once he reached the car, he put the key in the ignition, bringing the blue Firedome to life.  

The drive was silent, and mostly spent deep in thought. Though Matt had expected Kylo’s actions to be quick, it was strange just how quick it was. Kylo seemed to know the instant Poe did, if not before, and acted in a quick and precise manner. So how had he known? Though the answer was obvious, that Kylo had eyes inside the First Order, the question was who. The fact that he didn’t know bothered Matt. Unlike his brothers, Matt always had to be in the know about everything. His analytical mind wouldn’t let him attempt to complete a puzzle without all the pieces. This situation was no different, even if he wasn’t apart of his elder brother’s life anymore. The fact remained that there was a piece hidden from the board.

With a final sigh, Matt pulled up to the complex he lived in, bracing himself to give Ben your letter. Ben’s reaction would be predictable, one of instant fear for your safety, and both he and Poe had predicted this. Matt had practically been tasked with keeping Ben calm in this time, returning him to the role he played in childhood, the mediator.

“Well,” Matt said to himself, pushing his glasses further up the ridge of his nose, “here goes nothing.” He exited the car and headed towards the door of the apartment, letter clutched tight in his hands, where he knew Ben would be waiting for him.

* * *

 

You stared in awe at the opulent paintings hanging off the wall as you followed behind Kylo and his dogs, the soft clicking of their claws against the marble floor echoing off the walls. You still couldn’t get over the fact that you were here, in a real mansion, following around your closest childhood friend. It almost felt like you were dreaming, as opposed to this actually being your reality.

“This part of the house I don’t really use. Phasma stays here occasionally, but never more than a couple days at a time. Sometimes other members will say here too, but they all live nearby here, at least the inner circle. If you want to redecorate, you’re more then welcome too,” he said as you continued to ogle, his baritone voice seeming to echo off the excellent marble floors.

You couldn’t think of a reason why you’d want to redecorate, except for maybe add some flowers to some of the empty vases lining the halls. The house was gorgeous, top to bottom, and there was no way you could add any real improvement. Whoever had the house built had excellent taste, that was for sure.

Kylo turned down another corridor and you quickly followed behind him as he made a stop in front of some double doors. The doors were mahogany, filigree carved into the wood, adding to the opulent aura of the entire mansion. The handles were made of a shining brass, matching the gold trim of the halls.

“This is the library. It gets used a lot by the other members, so you might run into them from time to time, but they won’t give you any trouble,” Kylo explained as he opened the double doors. Behind them, the walls were covered in bookshelves, the occasional desk popping up as a work station. You couldn’t help but stare, your mouth agape as you took it all in.

Kylo watched your expression, a small smile gracing his lips. He was glad that you liked the house, especially since he was always at odds with his feelings about it, mostly due to its previous owner, Snoke, who had tainted Kylo’s memories of the time before the Knights of Ren. However, you enjoying the house definitely changed his opinion on it.

“Are you ready to see your bedroom?” Kylo said from beside you, causing you to look up at him. You simply nodded, completely starstruck by everything you’d seen in the house. There was no way that your bedroom could top any of it off.

You followed behind Kylo as he led you back in the direction you had come from, giving you the perfect view of the foyer. As you looked over to the wide-open space, the door opened, three people filing inside.

One you recognized, having been one of Kylo’s companions at Cortenshis’ Gala. The other two you had never seen. One was a tall man, his dark red hair tied back into a bun. His face looked rough, as if he’d seen too many battles in his time, despite his youth. The other was a woman, about half a foot shorter than the man, brunette hair braided back, showing off her angular face. Her features seemed cold, but her brown eyes held a certain warmth to them.

“Hey, boss, we came in for the meeting. Should we meet in the library?” The red-haired man said as he climbed the stairs ahead of his companions, coming close to Kylo, but not too close. He was barely shorter than Kylo, who had him beat by a couple of inches.

“No, the dining room will do. It’ll only be the inner circle,” Kylo said before turning to you. “(y/n), this is Spiro, and the woman behind him is his sister, Zonia. Zonia, Spiro, this is (y/n). She’s our guest for a while.”

You smiled at each of them, Spiro looking you up and down as his sister caught up to him. Zonia actually held out a hand to you, which you shook, slightly shocked by her openness of greeting you.

“I’m glad there’s another woman around other than Phasma. God knows this place needs some feminine touch,” she said as she gave you a wink. You let out a soft chuckle as you pushed a loose strand of hair back behind your ear.

“Well, hopefully I can keep the men in line,” you joked. Zonia let out a laugh.

“I like you already, (y/n). Alright, boss, me and Spiro will wait in the dining room,” Zonia said before grabbing her brother by the arm, going back down the stairs. Kylo simply nodded at them before leading you to the other side of the corridor that you hadn’t gotten to see yet.

“This is my room here,” Kylo stated as the two of you passed another set of mahogany doors. They were just as ornate as the ones leading to the library, it was no shock that it would be his room.

“This one is yours.” Kylo opened up the very similar doors, revealing a room that was probably the size of your whole apartment. Along the furthest wall was a queen-sized canopy bed, the gossamer curtains giving an ethereal look to the room as the light coming from the window beside it filtered through them. The window had a sill perfect for sitting in, some pillows already set there to make for a comfortable spot to stare out at the vast snow covering the land expanding behind the house.

On the wall perpendicular stood a tall wardrobe, gold patterns painted along the chestnut wood, and handles of matching brass sticking out. Next to the wardrobe sat a vanity, equipped with some essentials, and lightbulbs placed around the mirror. On the wall opposite of that was a desk, the same wood and designs as the wardrobe, which had a phone placed on top, as well as a fountain pen set.

You passed through the threshold of the doors, walking up to the bed first. Your hands barely passed by the gossamer as you moved to take a seat on the bed. When you did, you felt a strong urge to never get back up. It was the most comfortable mattress you’d ever been on. Sleeping was going to be perfect, you couldn’t imagine being able to wake up after resting in this bed.

Your eyes did another sweep of the room, noticing your suitcases were next to the wardrobe. Standing up, you walked over, moving to pick one up, but when you did, you noted how light it was. Putting the suitcase down, you grabbed onto the brass handles of the wardrobe, opening both of the doors to reveal that all of your clothes had been neatly put away for you. You looked over to Kylo who had his hands behind his back, watching you as you examined your room.

“Lorraine put your clothes away. If you need anything, just ask her. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to meet with everyone else,” Kylo said, turning away towards the door. You watched as he placed his hand on the handle, looking back at you before he left.

“I’ll be back later,” he said before retreating through the door, leaving you alone in your magnificent room. As you took another look around, you let out a sigh, thinking about how this would be your new life, and you’d have to keep tabs on everything now.

* * *

 

“He WHAT?!”

Ben’s voice rung through the small apartment he and Matt shared as Matt simply stared at his brother, the letter you left clutched in his hand. Ben was, as Matt had predicted, fuming. Matt rubbed his temples as he took another sip from his mug, setting the letter down on the kitchen table.

“Do you know what kind of danger she’s in now? I mean, she basically lives with him! What if something goes wrong?” Ben yelled out, flinging himself onto the beat-up couch in their living room, which let out a creak in protest at the weight of Ben’s body.

“Look, this is exactly what she trained for. She’s supposed to be an intelligence agent, if she can’t handle being in a close proximity to him like this, then the whole plan was for nothing in the first place,” Matt countered as he set his mug down again, placing it on the same ring it had made on the wooden table. He needed Ben to understand that this was not the end of the world, and that this advancement was a good thing, at least, so Matt hoped.

Matt wouldn’t say he wasn’t worried. In fact, every bit of his body worried about you. You were in the heart of the enemy’s home, and you had a job to do. The consequences of getting caught were perilous, and yet Matt didn’t really find himself worrying about that. In fact, Matt was more worried about a truth he had known but chosen to ignore, and that was the simple fact that, even though Kylo had left you behind, you had still been in love with him, and you probably still were. He knew it in the urgency of your response at the idea. You were too eager to see him again, and that is what caused this anxiety within him. Matt hoped that the part of you that had once loved him had matured, seeing him as the monster he’d grown to be, but he couldn’t help the sinking feeling in his gut that told him something was awry.

“Look Ben, she can do it. I know she can,” Matt remarked with finality, but he still couldn’t shake the unmistakable feeling of dread that sat in his stomach, waiting for some bad news to come his way. He would just have to hope and pray that you would see past the infatuation of your childhood, and that you could face the reality of what Kylo had become; a monster.

* * *

 

You laid on the oh-so comfortable bed, staring at the ceiling as you waited, completely and utterly bored. You didn’t really want to walk around for fear of finding something you weren’t supposed to find, or maybe walking into whatever meeting they were having downstairs. So, you’d concluded that waiting in this room with absolutely nothing to do would be the way to go.  

Without warning, a soft knock on your door startled you, causing you to shoot up from your position and stare at the door. For a moment, you pondered on whether or not to open it, but you couldn’t find any downside considering that there was literally nothing for you to do. So, without anymore debate in your mind, you hoisted yourself off the plush bed and ambled over towards the double doors.

On the other side was a woman, the same height as Kylo, but with a more intimidating and erect stature. The way she held herself told you that she was someone not to be fucked with. Her eyes were icy blue, but they didn’t intimidate you the way that the rest of her did. There was a small hint of warmth in them as she looked you up and down, as if she was impressed by what she was seeing. You couldn’t discern why she would, you were just a simple girl without much going on as you felt. However, you did suppose there had to be some curiosity about you around the house, after all, Kylo had practically parted the sea to keep you safe.

“Hey, you must be (y/n). I’m Phasma,” she said, holding out her hand to you, which you hesitantly took. Once you did, she gave you a rough shake that almost felt like she was crushing your hand. A wince spread across your face as you dropped your hand, attempting to smile up at her and giving a poor crooked version.

“Sorry, there’s not very many women around here. It’s just me and Zonia, so seeing a new feminine face around here is really refreshing. Can I come in?” she said, pushing her short blonde hair back as she waited for your response. You simply nodded before moving away from the door. She walked past you and looked into the room, staring at everything before taking a seat at the window sill, pushing the plush cushions to the side as she peeked outside of the window and at the falling snow.

“Sorry this is kind of sudden, but the big kids are in a meeting, and I figured you would be bored up here all alone. I know I am whenever they have their meetings,” Phasma offered, leaning back onto her palms. You simply smiled before delivering your reply.

“It’s no problem. I was wondering about what to do while I wait for them anyways,” you replied, following Phasma into your room, heading over to the bed once more.

“Well, while we’re here, I can answer any questions you have? I’m sure you’ve got plenty, considering the situation.” You looked at Phasma as you thought of a reply. It was true, you were teeming with questions that begged to be answered, but you weren’t quite sure where to start, so you decided to get started on the basics.

“So how do you know Kylo?” you ventured to ask, taking your seat on the bed once more as you watched Phasma. She looked back at you with her piercing blue eyes and then gave you a shrug.

“Since we joined the First Order. This was before Snoke died, though. Me, Ren, and Hux were all his favorites, but Kylo was his absolute favorite. For a while, I resented him,” she said, turning back to look at the snow. You processed what she told you, and you found yourself reeling with more questions, but there was one in particular that couldn’t be contained.

“Who was Snoke? I always hear everyone talk about him, but I don’t actually know who he was,” you asked, linking your fingers together as you watched Phasma.

“Oh, Snoke was the original leader of the First Order. He was this towns oldest and most respected crime lord. He was a mentor to the three of us, but he took the most pride in Ren, like I said earlier. Kylo Ren was like his god-sent pupil, and Snoke gave everything to him when he died. That’s why it’s no longer the First Order anymore. Hux hated that Ren got the inheritance, and took his followers and remade the First Order, causing Kylo Ren to create the Knights of Ren,” she explained, tapping her foot on the hardwood floor. You grimaced as you soaked in the information. No one at the CPD had told you any of this, so this information was extremely valuable to you, especially if the CPD didn’t know.

“So, who are the Knights?” you asked, making sure to keep any interrogative tone out of your voice to avoid suspicion. The more information you could get about members, the better.

“Well, I don’t know all of the members, only two people do, and that’s Valerium and Kylo. Of course, you know that Kylo is the head honcho. He runs everything from the top, keeping track of money, shipments, and his hold on Coruscant. Much harder than it looks, especially when you add competing with the First Order into the mix. Then, there’s Tal. He’s basically a creative director, in charge of planning operations, mostly bank robberies or people who need to be dealt with. Everything he decides has to be approved by Kylo, though.

“Next, there’s Valerium. He’s a logistical person, making sure that every plan Tal comes up with has someone to execute it, and underlings to help make the job run smoothly. Valerium is very calculated in his choosing of people, and he doesn’t trust easily, so if he treats you poorly, don’t be too surprised,” Phasma said. You poked your lip out in thought, formulating your next question.

“Do you know any others?” You grabbed a pillow from its right place on the bed and placed it on your lap as you leaned in to receive Phasma’s response.

“Yeah, I know the rest of the top group. There’s twelve in all, including the top three. After them, you have Spiro and Zonia, who I’ve been told you’ve already met. They’re the main executors of operations, Zonia being the more abrasive and rougher executor, and Spiro being more calculated. A real brains and brawn duo. Valerium usually sets them up as the leaders of drug shipments into the city.

“After the twins, you have Magnus and Vigen. They run small operations, like bank robberies, and pushing certain people around that need it. They’re a really ideal team, and their minds work in sync really well. They’re the most effective bank robbers I’ve ever seen. After them are Tormad and Tero, who are people you really want on your good side. They’re assassins, and really good at it too. Their body counts are high, but the detection from the CPD is low. Most of their assassinations have already become cold cases.

“Lastly, you have Mukul, Bronius, and Osian. They’re in charge of espionage, each of them having their own stations. I can’t tell you where, obviously, that’s not something I’m authorized to know, but I do know that they do their jobs incredibly well. If I’m being honest, Osian scares me, especially since he’s less trusting than Valerium,” Phasma finished, leaving you to soak in all the information. This was useful, and you’d need to relay it back to Ben or Poe, but you had to figure out how.

There was a light tapping at the door, causing both you and Phasma to whip your heads towards the door. Without warning, the door opened up a crack, revealing an older woman with dark brown hair. You could only assume that this was Lorraine.

“I’m sorry ma’ams, but Master Ren has requested your presence in the foyer,” she said, her voice full of warmth. The two of you simply nodded as you stood, ambling to the double doors and heading out into the hallway, Phasma following on your heels.

The two of you walked side by side as you headed to the main staircase. As you looked out into the foyer from the corridor overlooking it, you could see many people leaving, each one looking up at you before they left, all of their eyes filled with curiosity. Of course, everyone except for Valerium, who looked at you with venom in his eyes before slipping out of the door like some kind of snake. You simply smiled at him in a sweet way, causing his frown to deepen as he looked away and left.

As your eyes searched the foyer, you found Kylo, who was talking to another man. Without a doubt, this was the strangest and most intimidating man you’d ever seen. The best way you could think to describe him was like a lion, a mane of dark brown hair falling down to past his shoulders. His eyes were golden, and had a piercing, hunter-like quality about them. He was massive, his shoulders broad and muscular, threatening to rip through the nice linen shirt he was wearing. Something about him was deeply unsettling to you.

“That’s Osian that Kylo is speaking to. Do you see what I mean?” Phasma whispered in your ear, and you simply nodded in agreement. You wouldn’t be surprised if everyone else in the Knights were afraid of him too. Well, except for Kylo, of course. You couldn’t see him being afraid of anyone.

You walked down the stairs and fell beside Kylo, who looked down at you, a flash of emotion crossing his eyes, but what it was exactly, you couldn’t tell. That seemed to be the common theme between the two of you.

“(y/n), this is Osian. He’s one of the knights in charge of espionage,” Kylo explained. Osian held out a hand to you, which you took, giving him a sweet smile, hoping to win him over. Osian simply gave you a look of utter loathing, as if you were some kind of parasite invading his home. Out of the corner of your eye, you could’ve sworn you saw Kylo’s jaw clench.

“Well, sir, I have work to attend to,” Osian said with finality, and he walked away, giving you one more look-over that had a flash of distrust in his eyes. You frowned in confusion before turning to the staircase, where Spiro and Zonia were sitting.

“Don’t worry, he doesn’t like anyone,” Spiro reassured, standing from his spot on the stairs. He pulled you into a hug and laughed. “Welcome to the family, (y/n).” Another jaw clench could be seen out of your peripheral vision.

“Well, me and this fool have to hit the road. We’ve got work to do,” Zonia said, pulling her brother by the arm. “See you later, (y/n)!”

Soon, the foyer only had you, Kylo, Phasma, and Tal. Tal cleared his throat, effectively ending the silence, pointing to the archway that led to the kitchen. There stood Lorraine, her apron folded over where the tie went around her waist.

“Dinner is ready when y’all are,” she said sweetly before walking away into what you assumed was a servant area. Kylo placed his hand on the small of your back before leading you to the now empty dining room.

This was the first you’d seen of the dining room. The walls were pure white with golden trim, making everything in the room seeming to glow. The table and chairs were completely opposite though, pitch black, as well as all the decorations on the table. From the candelabra to the plates, even the table runner, everything seemed as if it was made of obsidian, giving an eerie and slightly gothic look to the dining room. Your breath was taken away at the sight of it.

Kylo headed to the head of the table and pulled out the chair to his right for you before taking his seat at the head. You smiled at him softly before taking your seat, the food coming out as you did.

Dinner was spent with lighthearted conversation between Tal and everyone else, as he was always finding something new to talk about to make everyone laugh. It was weird. He didn’t seem like the kind of person to come up with major mafia operations. He didn’t seem like someone to be in the mafia, but alas, his living was in deception…just like everyone else here. It was strange, being around criminals. They seemed so normal, so much like average people, it was strange to think that they could’ve done anything bad.

Well, except for Kylo. He had mostly kept silent except for a few remarks here and there, and occasionally speaking with you.

“Do you like the food?” he would ask on occasion, almost as if your opinion meant the world to him. He had that intense look in his eyes, something you couldn’t quite pinpoint, but you new that every ounce of this man’s existence held some sort of intensity.

Kylo held the air of a criminal, though. He certainly wasn’t the same boy who’d left Yavin all those years ago. He had the aura of sophistication, a real don’t-fuck-with-me vibe, and it showed. Just looking at him was like looking at someone from a whole other world. A world you couldn’t see yourself being apart of.

For a moment, your heart ached for the boy you once knew, the boy you’d once loved. A part of you wished you could look into those eyes and see what used to pour out of them each time your eyes locked. But this man in front of you…even though he’d given you so much affection over the past few weeks, something was off. Maybe something would always be off.

That’s why you had to do the job you’d been given.

When dinner finished, all of you departed from the table. Tal and Phasma went to opposite wings of the house, to what you assumed was where their rooms were. You and Kylo walked together, back towards the western side of the house.

The two of you walked in silence, until you passed Kylo’s bedroom.

“Are you not going to bed?” you asked, curious as he followed you to your room. The two of you stopped in front of your double doors, and you looked up at him. His eyes were different for a moment. Different than they were at dinner. For a moment, you saw a spark of the boy you had loved.

“No, I have work to do. Good night, (y/n),” he said, grabbing your hand and planting a light kiss on the top of your hand, causing you to blush slightly. As he walked away, you tucked a piece of hair behind your ear before opening the handle to the door.

You didn’t know anymore whether or not this job would be easy.


End file.
